


The I.T. Guy

by TheTopHatDrox



Series: One Verse [2]
Category: Invader Zim
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, Depression, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Hybrid Dib, Irken Empire (Invader Zim), M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-10
Updated: 2020-07-05
Packaged: 2021-02-28 22:01:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 33,862
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23094487
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheTopHatDrox/pseuds/TheTopHatDrox
Summary: Dib left home a long time ago and gave up on being a Paranormal Investigator. He now works as a corporate Researcher but when the I.T. guy working for the company turns out to be familiar face thing become complicated.
Relationships: Dib & Zim (Invader Zim), Dib/Zim (Invader Zim)
Series: One Verse [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1852861
Comments: 6
Kudos: 50





	1. Glitch

**Author's Note:**

> [From the author]  
> First work would love good and bad criticism its needed for me to grow.  
> The rating and tags might change depending what happens

The office was slowly emptying of people and with in a few minutes only one person is left there still working. The man’s name is Dib and he has been working as a researcher for firms for a few years now. It wasn’t the job he wanted but with the bills needing to be payed it worked out quite well.

Dib was given a fairly large project a last week and the deadline is tomorrow, but he still hasn’t finished. He has all the information need and the resources necessary to finish now he was just trying to tie it all together to make a comprehensive report but that is when he started to have problems.

First was that he was struggling to find any motive to finish off the report it was slowly killing his insides. All he had been finding was data and data like this was just too boarding.

The second problem he had come across was that his computer has started to bug out. The computer had already frozen twice but had was patient enough to work through them and luckily so far, he had only lost about half an hour of work.

Dib typed away on the keys already on the last part of the report and he was really looking forward to being done. He is jumping between a few different windows when it happens. When the mouse stopped moving on the screen, he thought that maybe the screen had frozen but it wasn’t until the hissing sound and the popping notice that dib noticed that what is happing is a lot worse than he thought.

It was the smell of smoke and the crackling that pushed Dib over the edge. Dibs head gave up and hit the table, Dib felt like a small part of his soul had died. Dib looked at the now black screen.

“FUCK” *crash*

Dib swore and knocked the screen off the table in anger. It had been a while since he had really lost his temper before but right this moment Dib didn’t care he had just lost the project a day before it was due and he knew that this would be the last straw for his boss since the incident with the half rat/ half computer virus.

Dib quickly grabbed the fire extinguisher when he saw the low yellow flickering light from the fire developing from his now destroyed computer. The foam in the extinguisher quickly took care of the fire but all of what just happened now weighed down on Dib. He knew he was so screwed if he couldn’t recover the files.

Dib knew he would need help from the IT department to stand a chance of getting anything out of the now damaged hard drive. He might have been able to do it him self if he had the correct device at home, but he didn’t. Dib picked up the phone on his desk and check the quick dial button for the IT department. Unsurprisingly this was the first time since he started at this firm that he had called IT since most time e would know how to fix thing more than most humans would.

“Who is this? Do you have any idea of the time?”

Shouted out a furious voice at the other end of the phone. Dib felt like he had hear the voice somewhere before but shook off the feeling since he couldn’t really tell people’s voices apart very easily anymore.

“Sorry. This is Researcher Mucosa. I am on the 18th floor and my computer just… Well it just blew up?”

Dib said feeling awkward having to explain the fact his computer just committed seppuku. There was a pause on the other side of the line for a while before a cackle come through, Dib could swear that he had heard that laugh before.

“Blew up? Okay, well done human. What do you want me to do? Get you a knew one. Can’t this wait till tomorrow?”

Dib felt himself stiffen up, but he couldn’t put his finger on why. Something in the back of his mind was acting on its own as if it knew something he didn’t. Din though was had more important thing to worry about like the fact he needed the possible lost files back.

“No, I have a few files I need to get but no mater the cost. It really important, the fate of earth is in the balance.”

Dib had spoken without thinking and he felt like he might have left a little bit of his old self out by accident. He took a breath in waiting to be ridiculed about the way he spoke, but nothing came over the phone. The pause in their convocation felt like it was just getting longer and longer.

*Cough* “Okay Ill be there is a sec let Z… me just grab some gear first.”

The phone died right as the other person finished talking and gave Dib no time to talk at all. Dib just sat there looking at the phone for a bit with a confused look on his face. Dib felt dread hit him but he had no idea why.

[That was to weird] Dib thought to himself.

It hadn’t been a few second by the time Dib heard the elevator oven at the other side of the bullring. Dib looked up confused that couldn’t be the IT guy it had only been a few second since he had hung up with them. Dib couldn’t see anyone at all though the elevators just opened and closed on their own which definitely sent a shiver down Dib’s spine.

Dib sat back down in his cubical lower him self down a little in fear. It had been awhile since Dib felt fear like this. The only thing keeping dib together was the fact he knew ghosts are not real, but it didn’t feel like it helped much.

“Are you the H… one who phoned in the IT problem?”

Dib fell of his chair when he heard a voice coming from next to him. Dib was on the floor looking up at the person standing over him. The person wasn’t very large though and he seemed to have weird skin discoloration that made his skin greener than normal, but dib couldn’t see much with most the light off. The person was also wearing clothes that looked very familiar to Dib but he still couldn’t place it.

*few* “Yes, thanks I did just call down? How did you get here so quick?”

Dib asked trying to get back into his chair but struggling more then he hoped.

“Lets just call it a trade secret. Now this is the computer then I guess?”

The IT guy just ignored dib instead went straight for the computer. The IT guy had moved so quickly that Dib couldn’t even see them that well and it liked like he only had three.

“Well you did a fair bit of damage to the hard drive… if I can even call it that. What have you done to it?”

The IT guy asked holding the drive in his hands. Dib had worked on the drive when he had first got here, and it could now work faster and hold more thanks to him. This was one of the reasons Dib never stayed in one place to long he always ended up upgrading the machines around him a little bit too much. He didn’t always mean to it was more like a side-effect of him just being around tech.

“Not sure what you mean. Never seen that before?”

Dib lied not wanting to get into trouble. Though Dib could feel the disbelief rolling off of the IT guy.

“This upgrade looks familiar.”

The IT guy mumbled to himself, but Dib could hear him. The IT guy just investigated the drive for a few seconds before he noticed a small symbol on the bottom of it in the corner.

“WAIT… LIES”

The IT Guy shouts out as some metal legs fly out the back of his back from his bag. A bright light activates above there heads and both of them are illuminated.

“How… HOW?”

Aggressively shouts the now illuminated IT guy. Dib is being pinned against the floor now by a very sharp metal leg that was coming out from behind the IT guy. Now that Dib had a full on look at the IT guy he started to recognize the feature of the person, or not-person.

*huff* *pant* “Z… Zim”

Dib tried to speak while did neck was being crushed by the metal leg. Zim looked down at Dib with his calculating eyes when they opened up so much that he was more eye’s then head. Zim now recognized who was pinned under his PAK legs.

“Dib-Stink. What?”

The legs for Zim’s PAK vanished as he just stood there above Dib looking more confused than he had ever looked. Dib moved out the way but didn’t stand up though he was almost eye level with Zim. Dib was also confused he knew a few things about this person in front of him, but he had no idea why. Dib knew that Zim’s name and that they knew each other even if he didn’t know how. Dib also knew that this is not who Zim actually looks since Zim is an alien.

“Dib… you’re here? But how.”

Zim almost whispered looking as if someone had both insulted him and complimented him.

“Zim. I… I don’t know. How… How do I know you?”

Dib said not knowing how to feel. He felt a fear inside him but at the same time he felt a strong feeling of relief. Dib’s brain was on fire, it felt like his body would break apart. Dib’s body slowly settle down now with his mind settling he started to remember things from his childhood that we had repressed a long time ago.

“Follow me, Fake-Dib.”

Dib just sat there on the floor not knowing what to do since Zim’s face had become emotionless and firm. Dib was very afraid still but he felt like e needed answers to what was going on.

“But…”

Dib didn’t get time to finish when one of Zim’s PAK legs shot out and stabbed through his shoulder going trait throw his shoulder and the thin cubical wall. It had happened so fast the Dib couldn’t even feel the pain, he just looked at where the wound was then slowly felt true terror flood through his slowly. Zim used this leg to lift Dib up and onto his feet.

“FOLLOW”

Zim shouted right into Dib’s face, Zim’s face was now showing a face of extreme rage and Zim was even giving off a murderous aura. Dib didn’t argue at all and just walked behind Zim as he was basically led by the shoulder to the elevator. Dib was leaving a small path of blood along the floor and was quite surprised to see the blood evaporate almost instantly. Dib was distracted by his wound when Zim stopped which ended up making the leg stabbed farther through dibs shoulder this time though Dib felt the pain and it took everything to stop him self to shout out in pain.

The Elevator door opened up but what was on the other side wasn’t the normal elevator deck but instead a sleek purple room that had details in red. The design reminded Dib of his upgrades to tech that he caused.

“Get in Fake”

Zim said with a large hint of venom in his voice as if he was talking to something that he hated more ten anything else in the world. Dib couldn’t fight against Zim who was standing right behind him with all his PAK legs out now and was using them to stand at the same height as Dib. Dib moved into the deck he could hear Zim do the same behind him.

“I know you can’t be him. I made sure. When I find out what you are, I will take you apart and make sure you suffer for using his face like this.”

Dib felt his body freeze, Zim didn’t make a simple threat it was a promise that he was going to keep no matter what. Dib just stood there knowing that now it didn’t mater that he had a deadline tomorrow… since he would most likely be dead.

The rip in the deck down to wherever they were going didn’t take long at all actually the time it took the deck to get there was less then a minute not even a few seconds. Dib is amazed at the speed of travel along with the fact he didn’t even feel the deck move. the Purple doors opened revealing the inside of Zim’s base. The base was very similar to a few fragmented memories Dib had of this alien’s base. Dib had long forgot Zim and his alien base since it had been years since he had last seen him, the memories of those days are coming back to him as if a box of memories had been unlocked.

“Zim, it almost the same as before. How could I have forgotten this… How did I forget you?”

Dib said now feeling a mix of shame and guilt, Zim might have started as his enemy and nemesis but after over a year of fighting their war came to and end and Dib had started to work with Zim. From what he can remember it was a rocky relationship though and even after the war had ended, they still fought a lot even if there was a lot less bloodshed.

“Stop talking fake. They are not your memories. You mention him one more time and Zim will rip that brain from its bony cage.”

Zim growled at Dib, the words hurt him deeply, but he knew that something was off. How… Zim so easily. Dib just remembers them growing apart after a few years. Then Dib had the accident, he had been hurt really badly by the car crash and because of that Dib had lost two years of his life. The coma was bad but the continues nightmare was worse, he was ripped apart and put back together so many times. There was a lot from that time he was glad to forget but now he was back to his old nerdy self.

Dib wanted to say something, he wanted to apologies for drifting apart, but he was so ashamed about it that he kept quiet. Zim was quite opposite though he was mumbling away to himself, Dib was starting to get nervous he kept hearing Zim say things about Dib’s insides and the lies.

“Computer prep a Test tube for this fake. I need to know what it is.”

Zim ordered from the computer but like always the computer just huffed.

“Master wouldn’t a full body scan be better and less likely to kill the human?”

The computer retorted trying to give its opinion on the mater but that just made Zim madder. Zim is starting to loss his patience with the events going on around him and he could feel a murderous rage coming on, but he definitely wanted to find out what the fake Dib was first.

“Fine do the scan but get a tube ready because there is no way this thing is him.”

Zim said both in a huff and slowly starting to calm down somehow. The computer produced an arm attached to a scanning device it easily reached Dib and without a work or question it started to scan him. The scan took a few second and while it was happening the atmosphere was co quite the Dib couldn’t help but feel awkward. Dib didn’t move that’s to one fear of the Irken in front of him along with the computer that he knew had control of at least four turrets. The scan ended with a loud beep and a noise of confusion from the computer.

“Computer read out the results”

Zim commanded surprised by the face the computer didn’t talk straight away.

“This being is only 37 percent human. Butt…”

The computer was cut off by Zim as he used his PAK legs to attack and pick up Dib. Dib’s heart instantly sunk, first by the result second by the force and anger from Zim.

“Zim knew it, YOU ARE A FAKE. Enjoy your last moments of life!”

Zim shouted as he readied to throw Dib into a tube that Dib knew was filled with a weak acid solution.

*BEEP* *CLANK* *SIREN*

The noise filled the room and caused Zim to drop Dib on the floor and he was shaking by the sound. Zim was ready to shout at the computer for disturbing him but he didn’t get the opportunity.

“But this being is unquestionable DIB Membrane. Down to the cell.”

The computer informed everyone. The computer remained silent as Zim just stood there staring at the now heavily injured Dib. Zim’s face suddenly changed to one of fear but not of Dib but for him.

“Fuck, Zim messed up. Dib please be okay.”

Zim called as he come over and kneeled down to Dib who was crumpled down on the floor. Dib had some very obvious large gashes and wounds over his body from Zim’s PAK legs. Zim used the same legs but this time he held Dib as if he was made of glass, Zim moved Dib to a chair in the corner of the lab that Zim used for PAK repairs.

“Please Dib stay with me. I can’t loss you again.” Zim grabbed a tool from the side and used it on the wound. The wound started to heal at a faster rate but already all the other wounds had stopped bleeding which Zim found odd. Zim had a lot of experience with human injured and this is not normally how fast they heal. Dib was not awake at the moment and Zim of glad of that fact.

“Computer. What is Dib-beast, Human and what?”

Zim could tell just by looking at Dib that there was more then just human in his makeup but that definitely wasn’t the fact when he had last seen the human.

“Unsure. He is 37 percent human, 30 percent Irken but the rest is unknown. Its as if it constantly changing. His body is in a constant state of flux, it is impossible that he is still alive with his body in that state.”

The computer stated the fact simply and bluntly. Zim just looked at Dib, who until minuets ago he thought of as dead. Zim looked at Dib closely now and what he saw really did surprise him. Dib had grown large he was at least now two or three times his own size, Dib also now wore different clothe style gone the days of trench coats and boots now he wore a suit, admittedly the suit was to big for Dib but it looked okay on him. Dib had very similar hair at least it still had the strange spiky cowlick like before, the largest difference though in Zim’s eyes though is dibs face. It had both become more shaped and had filled out a little better though it still looked like Dib barely ate. Zim climbed up onto the chair the was reclined back to make something close to a bed and Zim lay down next to the Almost-Human.

“Zim will never loss you again. You are his and His alone. Please be okay.”

Zim said softly as he lied his head down the Dib’s Chest. Dib’s had woken up just as Zim had switched into sleep mode, Dib couldn’t help but stay there a few seconds just resting his hand on Zim’s antennas. It had been a long time for both of them Dib remembered the last time he saw Zim. Zim had gotten onto a bus leaving for the city and Dib had spotted Zim behind the bus, Zim had looked so worried and even more lost. Dib wasn’t sure why he looked like so lost though since it had been quite a while before the bus sighting that Dib had seen let alone spoke to Zim.

Dib slowly moved wo he could put his feet over the side of the chair it was harder than he had expected since Zim would not let go at all so Dib had to move Zim with him. Dib wouldn’t get Zim to let go of his arm at all so Dib had to just let the alien stay asleep in his arms as he walked around.

“Computer do I access to move around.”

Dib said quietly not to activate Zim’s alto awake function. Dib suspected that Zim would have removed his access years ago when they had drifted apart.

“Master you still have full access.”

Dib stopped for a second, even when he come around every day, he still only had guest access, since when did he have full access. With that since when did the computer call him master. He wanted answers to this question but at the moment he was more concerned about other things.

“Okay. Where is the bedroom?”

Dib knew that he needed to get things done like questions and more but at the moment all he could think about is a bed and some sleep. Dib needed sleep when he had called IT now it was the only thing he could think of.

“Prepare for transport”

That was all the computer said, at first Dib wasn’t to sure what was going to happen. Dib knew there was a way of getting around using pipes and elevators, but he didn’t expect a computer are to grab him from behind and surprisingly gently lift him and Zim up and take them to his desired location.

The room they arrive is was not to large but its decor surprised Dib. The room had and Irken style to most of it with strange draws and an odd circular bed, but the rest of the room was very human. There was even a window, but it didn’t have any view at the moment. There was a desk at the side with a normal looking computer on it and besides that a bookcase with an assortment of books some old some not so much. The human side look very familiar to Dib and it took him a little to place where he had seen it before. The design and even the computer where from his old room from his family home, it was odd sing a replica of his home in Zim’s bedroom and he would bring it up… just not today and definitely not now. Dib made his way to the bed and tried to remove Zim from his arm but with no luck. Dib gave up and moved into the bed to finally catch up on the much-needed sleep.

The Bed wasn’t really soft, but it was comfortable as is the bed formed around both of them. Dib lay his head down and spent a few seconds just staring at the ceiling. With the adrenaline decreasing in his body he started to finally feel, and it was not good. His shoulder stung and was very stiff, he could feel that there was a hole in the bone but giving it a quick feel, he could tell it was already healed over. Dib was grateful for Zim’s tech since without it his shoulder would take way too long to heal.

Dib had been hurt a few times, but this was the worse its been in a long time. He normally would just get a few cut and scrapes that would heal in a day or two but a hole through the shoulder would have taken at least a few months.

Dib felt the day catch up to him and it was as if the worlds gravity had increased until he couldn’t even raise an arm. Dib just closed his eyes and hoped that tomorrow could be better. Dib hear a small buzzing as he drifted off to sleep.


	2. The Truth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zim dives head first into the truth about what Dib is. Does it really help though.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A mix of writing here and its long.  
> I like to experiment with how i write hopefully its at least readable

Zim woke up and he felt better then he had in a long time. It took a second to relies he had somehow ended up in a room he had not entered in a long time. The room was Dib’s old room for the time they lived together. It was just like how he had left it.

For a few months after what happened to Dib Zim would wake up in this room, but it hurt so much seeing Dib’s old stuff, so he had decided to look himself from going down here. Now the only person who should be able to gain access was Dib but that was impossible since Dib was gone.

Dib was still asleep and when Zim noticed he was still holding onto tightly onto Dib’s side we jumped away quickly. Zim’s PAK was working away trying to put together the pieces, he remembered last night and who he had first violently attacked Dib but then once he found out the truth, he did everything in his power to help Dib. Dib was already somewhat healed though luckily, Zim knew something was different with Dib, especially since Dib was now only 37 percent human somehow.

Seeing Dib started getting to much for Zim who couldn’t deal with emissions. His PAK was working overtime trying to calm him down. Being in this bedroom with Dib was to much and Zim required answers and staying here just wasn’t helping. Almost at a run Zim got to the elevator area and used it to get to the lab.

The lab is where Zim spent most of his day’s now. It had everything he needed, and he could work on his jobs here. Zim click a few buttons on the computer panel trying to retrieve the files of Dib’s condition.

“Computer start and full simulation of the human body using these parameters.”

Zim commanded as he entered some script to finish of the parameters that follow Dib’s health. The computer started entering in the parameters when the screen flashed red.

“Master 29 percent of unknown source can’t be simulated. There is no registered data on the unknow source.”

Zim looked over the data coming through the screen. The unknow part of Dib hadn’t been processed by the Irken species which should be impossible.

“Use parameter for the closest possible match. Take a guess please.”

Zim knew he sounded pathetic pleading with the computer, but he was to worried about Dib’s condition to really worry about keeping face in front of his computer. The Simulation ran and a hologram of the result played out in front of him.

The hologram quickly corroded as if it was destroying itself from inside. Zim gasped, this was to be expected since Irken had been genetically manipulated to destroy any non Irken parts of the body.

“This is what should be happening, but I saw that Dib-Beast was alive. What could cause the Irken physiology to not self-destruct?”

Zim was both confused and interested there was something in Dib that was overriding Irken physiology but that should be impossible.

“The 29 percent unknow is the only difference from the Simulation Master.”

Zim looked to the side where dib had been laying down a few hours ago. He walked over and noticed that there was no blood left over from earlier.

“Computer have you sanitized this room yet?”

Zim knew that the computer would sanitize the lab every night after his experiments.

“Sanitization is set for two hours from now.”

Zim nodded before a realization hit him. Dibs blood was gone, Dib’s blood is still human red but Irken blood and Human blood don’t vanish like this.

“Computer run a Test on the Air in here.”

The computer worked for a second before it set off an alarm and the room locked itself off from rest of the base.

“Contaminant found in base – entering Quarantine mode”

The computer rang out over all over the base. Zim ran towards the computer panel and looked over the signal from the contaminant.

“Computer how did this get past the sensors.”

Zim asked sounding worried. If the computer was malfunctioning this would not end well.

“The contaminant is a compound of Nano machines, compound made from 83 percent unknown, 16 percent Irken, 1 percent human.”

The computer sounded out. Zim though on the compound and halted for a second. 1 percent human stuck with him.

“Analyses the compound elements against our database.”

Zim commanded as the move over to the Chair looking for any blood that might have been left un-vanished.

“DNA match found”

Dinged the computer. Zim waited for a response but it just stayed quiet.

“Computer whose DNA is it.”

Zim shouted towards the ceiling but more out of frustration instead of anger.

“DNA is a 78 percent match with Dib Membrane.”

Zim stood still. Lots of thoughts pasted him but mostly he was wondering how that was possible.

“Collect sample from this room and analyze it. I want to see what we are dealing with.”

Zim ordered, he was starting to feel both worried and angry. He was worried that the Dib laying in the bedroom was still not really Dib.

The Computer spent roughly five minutes to analyses the compound. When it was completed the computer chimed and loaded the result onto the screen for Zim. Zim gave the results a look but what the screen didn’t make any sense.

“Computer compare this to PAK nanites.”

The computer took a second to compare the two and when it did the results surprised the computer.

“Compound is a modified PAK nanites. Compound is an improved version that can work without the need for a PAK with a lower effectiveness.”

The computer informed Zim it was just like Zim had noticed the unknown species that Dib was made up of was less unknown then he had expected. Dib is Human, Irken, and part Evolved Irken. This should be impossible, but the proof was right in front of him.

“Computer lower quarantine, the compound is Irken there for it can be easily removed from the base atmosphere. Set up a sweep protocol in the Bases nanite to collect all Evolved-Irken compound. We need to collect all of the compound and research the application to my tech?”

Zim said now calmer but no less confused. This discovery meant Dib was not just park Irken but he was a Evolved Irken unlike Zim himself.

There is nothing Zim can do at the moment apart from waiting for the base to collect the new compound so Zim ended up leaving the Lab and heading off toward some other part of the base.

\----

Dib woke up to a surprising sound he jumped ap and had expected to be in his room at home but at first he thought he was back at his family home but the purple Irken design brought him back to where he actually was. Dib remembered that he was now in Zim’s bedroom which felt weird since it looked a lot like his old room.

“Contaminant found in base – entering Quarantine mode”

The Computer rang out over some sort of speaker system even though he couldn’t see any speakers. Dib started to panic when a clicking sound rung out throughout the room. Dib tried to access the elevator, but it didn’t move at all when he click on of the symbols on the panel. Dib was so panicked that he didn’t realize he could read the screen on the side of the elevator.

[Quarantine]

The screen read but Dib started to hyperventilate so he wasn’t paying it much mind. Dib ran and jumped on the bed and pushed his pace into to calm down his breathing, this was the last place he wanted to have one of his panic attacks. It took a few minutes, but his breathing did calm down eventually.

Dib flipped over and lay on his back just staring at the ceiling. Now that the noise had stopped Dib was able to calm down and started to think sanely. He knew that he was back in Zim’s base after years and that yesterday Zim had been aggressive towards him and Dib felt like he deserved tat even if it did hurt a lot. Dib also remembered a few moments from the lab, but he had lost a little too much blood back then to really remember what had happened, it feel like recalling a dream.

Dib moved from the bed over to some of his old stuff that Zim must have copied from his old room. The Bookcase was filled with a few of his old schoolbooks and even had a notebook Dib remembered was one of his diaries. Dib grabbed the diary and pocketed in not really wanting it to be left here incase Zim actually read it.

What grabbed Dib’s attention after that where three older looking books but once Dib took one out the book it revealed to be some sort of high-tech storage device. Dib had not seen one before but for some reason he knew instinctively knew what it was called, a Spell Drive. Dib though that was silly though, a spell drive, it was like a high-tech spell book.

“That’s silly. Spells are not real.”

Dib said to himself laughing slightly at the ridicules though of spells that go against physics actually existing. Dib was a man of science not fiction but even then, he felt a nagging in the back of his head trying to remind him of something. Dib didn’t think on it to hard he had enough problems as it was, slowly going insane could wait.

Dib placed the Spell Drive away and walked up to the replica of his old computer. It looked exactly like his old one even the decoration of the case was spot on, with a small snicker Dib knelt down to the computer case and with a quick action opened it up. To Dib’s surprise the Computer was human tech or at least as human tech as it had been when Dib had stolen some of Zim’s tech to boost its performance. What really surprised dib was the static mark the Dib had left on the inside, the mark meant it wasn’t a copy it really was Dib’s computer from his old home. Dib’s brain started to work in over time as he took a second too look around the room.

“This is my room!”

Dib wait as it finally hit him. He knew it was true for some reason, Zim had stolen his room from the Membrane residents somehow. Dib didn’t feel angry or upset at this though, it felt like some how it was his choose but that was crazy. Dib knew he had never lived in Zim’s base, but this evidence made if feel like that was not true.

Looking around Dib’s brain just stopped working he felt a lightness as if he was floating.

~

The falling feeling ended, and Dib looked up at the person who had catched him. Zim was stood in front of Dib using his PAK legs to stand tall.

“Really Dib-Stink, what’s up with you today? We normally do better than this.”

Zim said scoffing at the fact the Dib was knocked flying so easily. Dib just rolled his dark eye’s that had deep bags under them.

“Well, let see? I am human and that thing is a lot strong then I am used to… also I am lacking the sleep required to care! Have to get up early to get here and not having time to sleep at all. Do you know how long it take me to get here? Cause I don’t I am to tired to do the math.”

Did was rabbling on and on which Zim knew was a sign of Dib starting to loss it. Zim couldn’t stand it, With Dib’s continues lack of sleep he had to take the slack in their fights.

“Well then that’s it! GIR, activate the device.”

Zim huffed out in frustration and a hint of worry. GIR who was just a little behind them in his dog suit ran over to a large red button and quickly jumped on it like a cat attacking a mouse.

*GIR Laughing* “RED BUTTON, RED, RED, RED”

GIR shouted out with enthusiasm and it repetitively clicked the big button. A sound came from the sky and a beam of light hit right where the beast they were fighting was. There was nothing left of the beast. Zim and Dib just stood there looking at burnt patch of ground that had been created by the beam of light.

“See that satellite was a good idea Dib-thing!”

Zim said smirking at his accomplishment, Zim used the PAK legs to stand up strait and confident. Dib just pushed himself out of Zim’s grasp.

“Overkill Zim. To much! Now what are we going to study, and we don’t have any evidence so the order will not pay for the info. Zim we talked about this and you promised to scrap the doomsday satellite!”

Dib said feeling stupid for thinking his alien frenemy was going to do as promised. Dib when over to see if there was any part of the creature left.

“The Almighty Zim didn’t promise to scrap the satellite. Zim promised not to used it for world domination, and I didn’t!”

Zim said with a raised voice almost shouting at Dib. Dib knew he wouldn’t win an argument especially after Zim had just saved his life.

“Fine Zim but if I hear of it hurting someone, I will take it down myself!”

Dib told Zim in a firm and stern voice. Zim just huffed and started to wake back to the Zoot Runner. Dib follow behind Zim after confirming that there was indeed no other remains of the Creature. The both of them jumped into the cockpit of the Zoot Runner and sat into there seats. Zim in the Main control seat and Dib in the makeshift passenger seat Zim had added.

“Dib-Stink needs to be more ready for the next mission!”

Zim commanded as he started the engine of the ship and drove it into the sky and pointing it towards his house.

“Easy for you to say Zim. You don’t need to sleep; Humans need at least seven hours to be fully functioning. With you calling me any day and night I can get enough sleep.”

Dib complained, he couldn’t help but be constantly tired since Zim would call of him anytime he felt the need to do something or was just board which had become more often. Dib needed rest but Zim was a constant in his life now and in some respects, it has started to be a bit much.

“Well how is the almighty Zim meant to know if your free? We are need when we are needed!”

Zim shouted a little too enthusiastically. Dib knew what he meant but it was still true that he wasn’t getting the sleep needed and it was affecting his responsibilities. Dib wanted to get the Alien to understand but that would almost never happen, and he knew that.

“Zim I need to have free time. You don’t know what I am doing but most the time you call I am trying to sleep! SLEEP ZIM! SLEEP!”

Dib started of speaking normally but ended up shouting because he really missed and needed sleep. Zim was taken back at Dib’s shouting since it had been a while since Dib got frustrated enough to actually shout out fully at him like this. In their fights normally Dib is quite and calculating more now then he used to be but when pushed he would end up fuming and rising his voice to make sure he is heard.

“You won’t let me place cameras in you room so who can I know what you’re doing? Why don’t you just move into my base then!”

Zim was originally speaking with a hint of sarcasm which was new to him. He learned it from Dib it was proof that they where spending to much time together. Zim made the suggestion lightly but thinking about it was interesting. Dib living in the base could be good, a live-in test subject along with he would know when dib was free and when he was sleeping.

“Okay sure! Stay at your place in a test tube so you can experiment on me. No way Alien!”

Dib sarcastically commented, his words were dripping in sarcasm and even Zim who struggled with hidden meaning could grasp what Dib meant.

“No forced experiments. There are spare rooms we can put a bed in and everything. We can make it look like that small room of yours. It’s a good idea, you would have access to the lab even.”

Zim tried to persuade Dib and it was working Dib couldn’t help but fantasies about the Irken technology he would have access to and not just stolen parts.

“Fine, and you have to tell me when you work on something?”

Dib said thinking about the possibility of actually being able to control slightly what the alien does.

“WHAT! NO! NO! NO!”

Zim shouted not angrily but he wasn’t happy with what Dib had said. Zim didn’t like the idea of running thing past Dib first he was the Irken not Dib.

“Fine but no secrets?”

Dib compromised it was better then being in the dark on Zim’s mad projects.

“Fine the almighty Zim agrees with that!”

Zim agreed to Dib’s requests. The two of them where happy that it worked out. Dib was looking forward to being surrounded with Tech he could study and Zim was happy that there would be someone else apart from his crazy robot. Zim suddenly realized they had forgot something.

“Dib we forgot GIR!”

Zim shouted as he turned around the ship and Dib just laughed out loud feeling really silly that he had ever thought of Zim as a danger to earth.

~

Dib was roughly woken up by something landing heavily on his chest making it hard to breath. Dib opened his eye’s just for his head to be pulled forward as a robot on his chest pulled his head to its eye’s.

“Doggy, your back. The big-head is home… DIB, DIB, DIB. Yayyyyyyyy”

GIR started to insanely shout out as he pressed his head into Dib’s neck. Dib always remembered GIR being annoying and Insane but right now it was cute… and insane.

“GIR, nice to see you again. Where is ZIM?”

Dib said softly as he stroked the robots costumed head. GIR was still wearing a dog costume but it was now made better and even resembled a dog better even if it was still green.

“Master’s upstairs. LET’S GO SO MASTER!!”

GIR removed him self from Dib but held onto Dibs had and started to pull him towards the Elevator. The base was no longer under quarantine and both of them easily accessed the elevator and GIR bashed in the place they were going. The trip once again didn’t take long at all and before Dib knew it, he was standing in the middle of a room that was very families to him.

It had been a long time since Dib had been in Zim’s front room but standing there now it looked very similar to how it did back then but now there where pictures and paper scraps all over the place. The room now looked more like someone house instead of just an extraterrestrial room.

“MASTER! Your Tallest is here!”

GIT shout toward the kitchen when Dib knew Zim must be since there was the smell of cooking. Zim popped his head around the corner and smiled at Dib who found it a sweet sight.

“GIR! Quite or else. Dib, good your up come on in. you will need food for the day.”

Zim said beckoning Dib to come into the kitchen with one of his PAK legs. Dib when ahead and moved into the kitchen where he saw a lot of food on the fairly small table at the side of the room.

“Isn’t this a little bit of overkill? Zim I am used to cereal for breakfast.”

Dib commented even though he decided to sit down at the table and look over the food. There was a lot everything from pancakes all the way to eggs benedict. The table could barely fit all the plates and Dib had no idea how he would eat any of this food.

“Didn’t know what you would want… Maybe it was a little too much but the great and kind Zim made this all for you. You better eat something I don’t want you to be a twig of a human forever.”

Zim insisted with a little bit of play threat which Dib couldn’t help but soften up to. There was something about being back here with Zim that made him feel safe and sane. The food is well cooked as if made by someone who knows what they’re doing in the kitchen which surprised Dib since he couldn’t remember Zim being able to eat most food let alone cook it.

Dib grabbed a plate and skillfully made room without Knocking off any of the food from the table. He grabbed a selection of what was there, before he started eating even his plate was packed full like the table. Dib was apprehensive of the food not knowing what to expect but not only was it edible, but it was actually surprisingly nice.

“Wow, Zim this is actually food? Nice its been a while since I had food this nice.”

Dib complimented Zim and he puffed out his chest in pride. Zim liked being complimented to hasn’t happened in a long time. When fixing human’s computers, they would always treat him like he should be lad they let him near.

“Dib forgets that the almighty Zim worked with food of all types and he was the best there was!”

Zim said confidently with a large hint of ego in the way he spoke. Zim felt overconfident and was just happy that he could hold this against his old frenemy. Dib on the other hand couldn’t help but roll his eyes and remember all the times the Zim acted superior then everyone else even when he lost.

“Sure Zim, your amazing. Whatever you say.”

Dib said between a bite of waffles that was covered in an assortment of sweet and savory sauces that dripped from the rest of the food. Dib was just surprised that the mixture wasn’t bad and actually turned out to be very nice.

“Zim what was that about a quarantine earlier?”

Dib ask having just finished the last bit of food that was on his plate. Dib didn’t notice it but Zim had accidently stiffened a little still not wanting to tell Dib about what he had found out. He just got Dib back the last thing he wanted was for Dib to freak out and do something idiotic.

“Nothing Worry-Dib I sorted it all out. Please ignore that mistake.”

Zim said slowly sounding worried and Dib picked up on it quickly. Zim was always over the top and would never talk calmly or slow, which made Dib even more worried now. Dib looked over towards Zim who undenounced to Dib had been watching him eat the whole time. Dib felt a little creeped out but let it slide for their own good.

*Dib sigh*

“Zim. I know we never really got along when we where kids but please just for once trust me. I can help.”

Dib pleaded hoping he could convince Zim to open up to him. Dib couldn’t place it but he felt for Zim and wanted things to work better between them. Zim just looked into Dib’s eyes, he could see the care in them and felt a warmth inside him he hadn’t felt since Dib had last been with him. Zim just couldn’t help but remember the expression on Dib’s face when Dib had made the decision that changed Zim’s life.

“Dib, Dib, Dib. I do trust you and you know this I would do anything to be like we were. On this hole stinky-stupid-messy-fucked up-dirt ball you are the one and only I trust. I wish…”

Zim shouted before fading until he wasn’t even talking. Dib was just shocked and confused by what Zim had just said. Dib could remember how they would act together, and he never remembered them being that close, but he couldn’t find it in him self to not believe the aliens words. Dib just convinced him self that the alien was just over exaggerating their relationship for emphasis.

“Zim…” *Few seconds silence* *Dib sigh* “I am sorry I left. I am sorry I left you alone. Please let me help you now.”

Dib said as he felt the entire think weighing on him. He really wanted to help Zim and for once it wasn’t out of morbid curiosity or to stop him from attempting to take over the world. Zim could feel himself brake to Dib pesters and knew that soon he would just blurt everything out. Zim wanted to be in control of the situation so he decided that he would tell Dib but just not here over the table of food.

“Fine but not here. If I am going to blow your mind, we need to be somewhere more… appropriate.”

Zim said bouncing back to his old self slightly.

“Slow-Dib come one leave that!”

Zim shouted at Dib as he tried to start tiding up the table. Dib just dropped the plate a little bit because of surprise but mostly since he didn’t really want to tidy up. Zim had made it to the elevator by the time Dib had even turned around. Zim grabbed Dib by the shirt and tugged him close so they could use the elevator together. Their destination was the Lab as Dib found out by seeing the Irken Screen along with the Tube Pods. Dib noticed how clean it was and reckoned that Zim or the computer must have cleaned up his blood that he had left all over the place.

“This way Dib. Let the incredibly smart Zim show you what he found and why I was so… emotional?”

Zim said which just mad dib even more curious what could cause such a reaction from Zim.

The large screen turned on an it displayed a large image of what looked like DNA or something akin to that. The DNA look very different to how DNA Dib had seen looked all he could guess was that the DNA wasn’t human, maybe it was Irken.

“DNA? Is this yours, what did you find? Are you sick, dying…”

Dib said as he started to spiral out of control but luckily Zim shoved him enough to get the mental spiraling to stop.

“Dib. Its not mine its yours. You are not exactly human anymore…”

Zim started to explain but was stopped as Dib shouted out.

“What? No, No, No…”

Dib froze still almost just repeating not over and over until again Zim had to shove Dib but this time harder.

“Let Me finish. It not just that.”

Zim explained as he typed something on the panel in front of him and the screen changed to one that looked like a bunch of small octagons that all are moving around in a fixed pattern. Dib recognized the base design from some article’s he read about nanites but the ones he was now looking at are a lot more advance.

“Nanomachines? They look almost Irken in design?”

Dib said now more curios then worried about his DNA. The design of the Nanomachines reminded him of the circuitry of Tak’s cruiser that he used to experiment on.

“I am not surprised you would put the to together. These are similar to the Nanomachines that Zim’s PAK uses to repair damage.

“If there not from you pack where are these nanomachines from then”

Dib said trying to take an educated guess from what he could put together. Dib felt a drop in side of him as he put together the most likely possibility, he wished it was anything else but going off what had happened and what Zim had been testing there was only one place he could think they came from.

“You. They are from your blood to be more exact. I don’t know how I just know that your blood contains these nanomachine and they are advance. Even more advance then then ones in my pack.”

Zim stated bluntly but the information was just too much for Dib to accept. At first his mind just wanted to shout out and not accept the fact. Dib was going to shout out and say that Zim was wrong but when he turned to Zim to shout what he saw stopped him as he took in a breath. Zim almost looked broken as if something inside was killing him. Dib had seen the face once before and he knew exactly when.

~

Dib look out the window and said Zim sitting on the floor and even from this distance Dib could see Zim’s tiers falling down his face but Dib had made up his mind and he knew what he had to do and nothing could stop him especially Zim.

Dib clicked something in his hand, and he heard the engine attempt to start. Dib turned around and slipped to the floor he was surrounded in white as if there was nothing here except him.

“Well who knew.”

Dib’s voice cracked as he sat there and just waited. He wanted to try but he just couldn’t bring him self to do so. Dib let his mind fall away and looked around one more time. He really wished this wasn’t how his life with Zim would have ended, he could almost see the possible futures with them working together fixing the broken earth, but hope was dead now and he had decided on the direction he would go.

Dib felt like he was in a black who for a long time as if nothing mattered since he was most likely gone in one way or another. All he could feel was pain and a lot at that at one point he had hoped he could let go and just stop everything but that never happened.

Dib remembered what happened next, he was in a hospital of some sort and there where voices all around. He was able to see properly for the first time in a long time. He was alone by the looks of it with just one single voice, but it didn’t feel right. It felt like something was missing from that voice.

“I can’t. To be like I was before would be… Painful.”

Dib said taking over from the voice he had hear before. He was in an office or at least he felt like he was, it was hard to distinguish when you wouldn’t see properly.

“Well that to be expected. You have been through a lot over the last few year Dib.”

The other voice was coming from a girl maybe a lady would be a better description. He couldn’t make her out, but he could tell that she was tall, she was at least taller than him.

“I know stuff has happened, but it just doesn’t feel like me. Am I walking around? Or is that just what I think is happening?”

Dib said feeling nervous for some reason. Something was still wrong like this wasn’t happening or maybe something similar but not exactly this.

“Dib please keep to reality. You are here and you are alive.”

The lady said but Dib could have sworn she hadn’t opened her mouth. He knew he couldn’t see her mouth, but it felt like the sound was coming from inside his head.

“But… Why? What is reality. I am broken and I know this from the constant pain, but you keep saying you can fix me. Why?”

Dib said still being able to feel the pain even after agreeing to so much. Dib sure felt broken but more then anything he felt not whole like something was missing.

“We are fixing you, but you resist to much. We can make you full again, better even just let us help.”

The Lady might have said but Dib wasn’t to sure anymore. He thought he was in an office, but the room was to out of focus now. He felt afraid but knew he would fight on.

“I am me. With your full help I would loss that last part. I can’t do that.”

Dib thought as he fell back and just stared into space the world around him was so small but the stares were not.

“No matter what we do you will always be you. We just want to make sure you last, last thing we want is you to go. You’re the last one.”

It said.

“Is space really that big? Could I got there with him and see it all.”

Dib said still no looking anywhere but the space above him. Dib wanted to just leave but he couldn’t not without exploring all his option and he was here because he had followed what he thought was a good option.

“You could but not as you are now. We have helped as much as we can without your full support.”

It said.

“Your right you know. I was resisting, I know you and your kind. Though maybe this time your kind can help me. Fine I accept!”

Dib finally accepted the help he needed, and it help pretty quickly. The office started to feel familiar after all and the pain left before he knew it.

“Why did I resist so much? With your help I can return.”

Dib said finally feeling better after what had honestly felt like a lifetime of pain.

“That’s good and this relationship help both of us now we can finally be of some use.”

The lady said as she sat opposite of Dib. Dib could actually almost make her out he was just struggling to remember the specifics. After a little he could walk again especially after the weight was removed from him, that was what had taken the most time at first he could only move a little at a time but with the Lady’s help the weight had been fully removed. The first thing he did was walk around the room, he kept calling it an office but that wasn’t exactly right.

“Looking good. You’re getting back to normal.”

The lady said outside of Dib’s sight. Dib was used to that now though he barely ever saw her now just heard her voice from wherever she was standing.

“Well normal would be an overstatement. I can’t really say I was ever normal just look at this room”

Dib said as he walked to a computer and for the hundredth time today tried to make sense of the screen. Like the last hundred times though it was as if the words where gibberish to him.

“Why pick an office Dib? You could have picked any room, but you chose an office.”

The lady asked but Dib just acted like he hadn’t heard her. She had asked this question a few times and he always said the same thing, so he wasn’t going to answer the question again.

“Fine Dib. You know you can’t stay here though? This place is temporary.”

The lady said which caused Dib to laugh out loud at the Lady’s mistake.

“You used the wrong word again and I am leaving I found a literal escape pod.”

Dib said stepping up to the door but not opening it. Dib wanted to leave but he was worried about what he would find waiting for him back home.

“Literal or Figurative? We always get those two mixed up.”

The lady said now standing right behind Dib.

“It doesn’t matter. What will happen when I leave? This place has been keeping me together.”

Dib said remembering that the whole place was working to keep him somewhat sane.

“I have figured that out already and I have a way to lesson the mental blow, but I need your permission? You will not be the same after”

The lady said some how sounding sad even if she talked in a cold almost robotic way.

“Irken for once you have it”


	3. The Boss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dib tried to get his life back to some sort of normality... it might not have worked though.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am not sure if the this chapter works all that well. It was written over three or four different sessions, so i feel like the story might have ended up slightly choppy.  
> Comment do help.

“I have nanomachines in my blood?”

-Yes-

Dib asked already feeling like he knew the answer. He wanted it to not be true, but he felt as if this fact wasn’t really new to him but that feeling just cause more confusion in Dib’s mind.

“Yes. Dib you are not fully Human and your more of an advance Irken then I am even if you’re not a full Irken.”

Zim stated out blankly to Dib. It was only moment like this that reminded Dib that Zim was a full-on alien and that some concepts and emotions were hard for him. Zim lived his whole life in a large universe where there was a multitude of different types of aliens but to Dib, he was used to just human and alien.

“Zim. This is crazy… WHY? Why are they there?”

Dib shouted and for a moment he thought that he sounded a lot like Zim when he shouted and that did not make him feel better. Zim could see that this new info was to much for Dib to handle but Zim had no idea how he could help.

“It shouldn’t be possible but it’s true. Dib you might not be human but that’s a good thing. Zim has always thought Dib was so much more, now you really are so much more then human.”

Zim tried to comfort Dib with his kind words which was abnormal for Zim in Dib’s eyes, but it really did help. Dib gave it a thought and he had to admit he didn’t feel like he had hanged he was still himself so maybe it wasn’t so bad. It might have just been a coping mechanism that Dib was using to calm himself down, but it was working he stopped feeling like he was losing control of his life.

“What now then?”

Dib asked not really to know what type of response he would get but Dib just wanted to know what he could do to keep himself busy and not let his mind fall into old bad habits.

“Well the great Zim has an idea. Stay here and help me. All you would need to do is allow me to take a few samples and undergo some experimentation. In the future the amazing Zim could even make you fully human again. Though Zim doesn’t see the appeal.”

Zim suggested hoping that with Dib’s body he could possibly make himself a better Irken too which could make his life a lot easier. Bid felt conflicted, he did want to stay and possibly find out more about himself but at the same time the thought that everything wasn’t as it seamed scared him to the core. Dib had found out more in the last few hours then he ever wanted to know and who knew what would surface if he stayed with Zim. Dib knew he would need to make a dissection but with everything happening he just wanted the world to be more normal right now. Dib wanted to go back to work and present his report to his boss.

Reality cam at Dib like a brick wall to a speeding car. He had forgotten about his normal life and the now nonexistent report that he might get fired for he he doesn’t hand it in today. With a glance at his watch he saw the time.

[9:30 am]

“Shit”

Was all the Dib could say as he started to think more clearly now strange things has stopped being mentioned. Dib didn’t normally worried much with work because he was normally on top of it but right this moment he was panicking. If he lost the job at this company, he would have to find a new place and start working all over again. Wether he wanted to stay with Zim or not had now slipped him mind in preference of trying to get back to normal work life.

“Dib doesn’t have to be mean about it. It was just a suggestion.”

Zim said miss understanding Dib out burst. Dib just looked and Zim and felt a pain when he saw the aliens hurt expression.

“No Zim. That wasn’t about your offer. My life might be upheaved anyway if I don’t get my report to my boss by the time, he arrives… IN FIFTEEN MINUTES. I am so skewed.”

Dib said as he started to panic now more and more. Dib new he needed to calm down and think rationally but with everything going on his mind just didn’t want to really work.

“You mean the data on your experiment storage drive? Well I can fish that out.”

Zim said looking at Dib as if his panic attack was stupid and pointless which in a way Dib knew was stupid. Dib took a second and just starred at Zim. With the realization of the simple truth that obviously Zim could retrieve the files from the drive, Dib stopped panicking.

“Then let’s do that. Get those files Zim!”

Dib basically shouted as Zim with comes off as more pathetic then mean.

“Computer. Retrieve files from Irken-Human storage drive.”

Zim commanded not letting his eye move from Dib. Zim knew he was now also forgetting something but couldn’t place it at the moment. Zim let the thought slide as is used the panel in the lab so manually aid the computer in retreating the data. It wasn’t needed but Zim knew he was as good as the computer at data analyzing if not, he felt he was better then it.

“Zim the format of the files is compatible with our technology you don’t need to…”

The computer tried to tell Zim but Zim shouted over the computer.

“Zim know what his is doing. Never doubt the almighty Zim!”

Zim shouted and Dib couldn’t help but smile and hold back a little giggle he felt like Zim was becoming his old overconfident self again and Dib dint really mind that.

*frustrated computer crackle*

The computer just stayed quite but Dib could tell the computer was very annoyed at its master. Zim took and extra few second to get the files but he triumphantly laughed as he retreated the file.

“Zim is the best. No one can hide nothing from him!”

Zim shouted as loud as he could as he pressed one last button and a noice started in the other side of his lab. Dib became very confused for a second because the noise is very familiar to him, Dib moved to where the noise is to see a printer placed in an alien looking counter. The printer itself looked very mundane and human.

“Zim even created a physical copy for his Dib-human…ish”

Zim commented now standing next to Dib as Dib watched the printer slowly print out the pages of his document.

“Why?”

Dib wait not explain the question in any way just pointing at the printer and looking at Zim.

“You need a copy for your human-boss-man. That how work… works. Silly-Dib.”

Zim wondered how Dib hadn’t been fired yet.

“NO! Why the earth printer. Do you have some sort of advance alien one? This… this just look stupid”

Dib shouted annoyed at Zim obviousness to the actual meaning of what he asked. Dib knew he was overreacting like he used to when they would fight all the time but it actually me him feel better since it was a relationship he hadn’t felt in ages.

“Why would the superior Irken Empire need printers. We just use fabricators to create everything for us, there even handheld.”

Zim arrogantly said as if the simple thought that Irkens needed printers was some how insulting but at the same time Zim used this opportunity to show of the fabricated stored in his PAK.

“Couldn’t you have just fabricated the pages then?”

Dib suggested since that sounded Easter then using a printer that was outdated for humans let alone Irken.

“What a waste Dib. Really Dib think logically next time.”

Zim exclaimed shaking his head at Dib before he went over to retrieve the now finished printings of dib’s report.

“What?”

Dib questioned but dropped it when Zim didn’t even appear to have hear him. Dib wasn’t going to question Zim’s weird ways especially not when Zim is helping him.

“Here you go silly-Dib your report. Computer even finished it up for you.”

Zim said with his hand outstretched and the files in his hand. Dib slipped then out for Zim’s grasp and gave each page a skim to make sure everything was in order. The computer had just added an extra page on the end finishing up the research report and summarizing his thought and explanations.

“Not bad. Thanks computer you are the best.”

Dib complemented the computer as he could hand in the report and not have to worry.

“No problem Master it was a simple task.”

The computer chimed in sounding mighty pleased with itself. Dib could see Zim trying to act up and looked fake hurt, but Dib just ignored him in favor of putting a clip on the pages that the computer had given him after Zim had passed him the print outs.

“What about me. I was more help.”

Zim said trying to be complemented like the computer was just. Dib felt nostalgic for a little over the way Zim was acting before pulling the alien close and giving him a hug.

“You didn’t really help Zim, but it’s been to long that I don’t mind showing you some affection.”

Dib emphasized as he applied a little more pressure to the alien’s sides. Zim feet were dangling over the floor but he just extended his PAK legs to feel not so helpless.

“Zim doesn’t need your earth affection. I am almighty and amazing. Your affection just proves it.”

Zim said attempting to sound uncaring but even then Zim didn’t attempt to push Dib away he just let the hug last till Dib decided to end it since he still had to turn in the report. Dib kind of remembers how to get out of the underground base but he is not sure how to now since this base isn’t past of Zim’s old house he just remembers the yesterday he got here from the company elevator.

“How do I get back to the office building?”

Dib asked trying to figure it out in his head but failing. Dib guessed that they where under or over the building by how they got here but he wasn’t sure of with and he didn’t know where the bases exit elevator is.

“Computer bring the elevator we are leaving for work.”

Zim commands and the computer complies as a sound is heard and an Irken looking elevator just appears in front of them. Dib was slightly surprised by the sudden appearance since it came fast and hard hitting the floor with an ordinal thud.

“What do you mean ‘we’?”

Dib questioned turning Zim once he took in what had just happened. Dib knew he needed to get off and work and he also knew that he would not work in Zim was around, also how would that look to his coworkers. The idea of taking a sick day did pass his mind but first he would have to hand in the report.

“It’s been years Dib and I will not let you out of my site I will not risk this all vanishing.”

Zim confessed and it hit Dib hard. He knew they got a little close but that sounded so sincerer that Dib wasn’t sure how to react. Dib just froze up out of a mix of feeling though his strongest one was one of happiness. Dib felt genuinely happy to hear the Zim wanted their friendship to continue and Dib wanted to stay with Zim to he had never met someone who just matched his personality so well.

“Okay but keep out of sight don’t want anyone to start questioning what your doing around. Also, I will stay here, better then paying for a cheap uncomfortable apartment.”

Dib finally answered Zim request to stay while putting down some ground rules for the next few hours since Dib needs to meet his boss and hand over the report then leave. That means he needs Zim no act some what human.

“Fine but Dib can’t leave Zim’s sight. I need to make sure you’re not in danger.”

Zim stated not wanting anything to happen while they where out of the base. That decided Zim clicked a button on his wrist computer and he suddenly looked like his human version but with slight adjustment that made him look more human then he has ever looked.

“Nice, new upgrade. You look good!”

Dib complemented Zim as they walked into the elevator. Zim couldn’t help it when a little flush of blue hit his face, but he just made sure to avoid Dib’s eyes. Dib did notice a little change but thought nothing of it and just let it slip. The elevator got to the desired flood by the time Dib looked back at when they had entered. In front of him was the office that he had been working in late into the night the day before. Dib made his way to his cubical and saw what was left of his computer. Dib hadn’t noticed last night when Zim must have smashed his computer to bits in anger.

“Well that’s not good. Zim stay here for the moment you can see where I am going from here.”

Dib told Zim and pointed out the door to his boss’s office. The door had the bosses name on it but it was not legible at all from where they where, it is almost like it’s in a completely different language.

“Fine but don’t take to long or I will show you how easy earth info-structure is to destroy.”

Zim said with a keen smile on his face and Dib knew he had some sort of weapon he wanted to try out on the door or wall.

“No destruction. Okay. Promise me.”

Dib ordered looking down at Zim with an expression that was easy to read even for Zim. Dib’s face was almost threatening and Zim did not want to cross a line here.

“Fine Dib-Stink. Get back quick.”

Zim huffed accepting Dib’s request and slumping down of the chair by Dib’s desk. Zim still felt like he was forgetting something, and it was really starting to feel like it was something important and large.

“Finally completed Dib?” “Be careful I hear he is in a bad mood.” “Good luck”

The coworkers said as he got closer to the boss’s door. Looking around Dib realized that he had never actually been in the boss’s office, for that matter he was struggling to remember the bosses name. As Dib pushed the door open, he tried to read the plaque on the door but failed since it is as if the words on the goor are in a foreign language.

Zim watched Dib enter the dark room and since he couldn’t see into it he had to pass his time by taking a look around the room. Zim felt like the place was off for some reason, there when over twenty stalls for people but then number of people working here is less then ten.

*pleep*

Zim heard his wrist computer bleep at him with new information. With a quick look over the computer Zim could tell that an energy serge just happens and was now building up.

*Crash*

Zim felt his body tense up as he turned and knocked off a cup on dibs desk. Zim now realized what he had forgotten, and it was a bad one. Zim jumped up and bolted toward the door Dib had entered to get to Dib before something would happen.

Dib entered the office and noticed the fact the room was a lot darker than he had expected. The widows are coved by something and the light are nearly working.

“Mr. Mucosa I see you arrived early. Is your report finished?”

A voice echoed around the room, but its direction was indeterminable. Dib walked towards where the desk is, and a figure is sitting behind it in the dark.

“I have. There are no locations around with the name you wanted me to research but following the origin of the name’s language I found a few locations that could be similar. I don’t understand the importance of the location though, they have no buildings on the and most are owned by a private company.”

Dib started to explain the results of his research to his boss in a simpler way then the report states. Did had put a lot of work into his research he never could find out what the importance was.

“Oh? What’s the company’s name?”

His boss asked from some where most likely in front of him him the large chair that was starting to come into a clear view.

“Most of the locations are owned by difference companies but they are all registered under a single large-scale company. It the first time I’ve hear of this company though which is rare, it’s called senior education needs. They have an online presence but it’s very limited.”

Dib answer and he was finally in front of the desk but the figure in front of him wasn’t moving at all. Dib reaches for the desk light and he clicked a button turning the light on. I front of him was a person, but they didn’t look living their skin was gray and their eyes are completely white. Dib recognizes the body as his boss, but it is all wrong.

“I did say you are early. I didn’t get a chance to get dressed.”

Said the voice of his boss now coming from directly behind him. Dib went cold instantly and couldn’t help but to shake a little. Dib did gain most of his composure within an instance alarming him to react and move out of the way of a arm reaching out to grab at him. In front of him now was a creature that Dib would not call human in any way, its body is slightly see through but what stuck Dib more was the shape of it is off. The thinks body is contorted in ways that do not just look impossible but also look painful.

“What the fuck?”

Dib verbalized but not very loud since he was very much afraid. Dib had to move very quickly just to get out of the way of the things next attack and he only just made it as he landed next to the door as the creature collided with the wall just whine where dib had been standing.

“Come on Dib lets have a chat?”

The thing said now sounding less like his boss. The voice is deep and echoes around the room. Dib instinctively hold his position and watches the thing while regarding it with both excitement and fear. Dib feel alive and ready to act the fear starts to subside surprisingly quickly and now he is trying to create a plan of attach.

“Thanks for the offer boss but I would prefer not to. I think I’ll just… leave!”

Dib said as he moved closer to the door while not taking off a single eye from the thing that was now floating towards him.

*crash*

“Dib we need to leave… *scream* to late!”

Zim shouted out at the top of his lungs but unfortunately for Dib sim knocked Dib down onto the door while running through the door. The thing took this opportunity to jump towards the now downed Dib. Dib was lucky enough to just miss one of its claws but the other one when strait into Dib side slicing open his middle a little too deep.

“Your mine now! Let’s see what your inside look like.”

The thing cackled while pining Dib down and twisting its claw to open Dib’s wound up more causing blood to gush from it faster then Zim or Dib would have wanted.

“Dib No!”

Zim called out as his PAK legs extended and Zim used them to quickly propel himself towards the thing. Zim’s PAK leg when through the thing but cause a night of a surprise the the thing swiftly let Dib got and move itself back to the other side of the room.

“Well that’s a surprise. Dib’s little friend is not so human.”

The thing commented now that Zim’s disguise wasn’t down and the Irken could be seen in all his glory.

“What is going on? Is that a ghost.”

Dib grunted out from below Zim as he slowly collected him self. Dib wound caused him a lot of pain, but he was just glad that it had missed anything important, all Dib had to do now was worry about blood loss… and the ghost creature thing.

“Dib that’s obviously a semi caporal ghoul. A ghost wouldn’t be able to skewer you.”

Zim said giving Dib a small kick. Zim though that Dib must have lost more blood that he had thought if Dib couldn’t tell the difference between a ghost and a ghoul.

“So, Sorry for mixing the two up after my first time seeing one?!”

Dib groaned loudly and he finally was able to stand up. Zim made a note to check up on Dib’s brain later for forgetting such a simple fact but right now there was a much more pressing matter. Dib was into much pain to feel fear and to full of adrenaline, which gave him a small advantage at the moment but the did know that once they got back to the base he would be in so much more pain.

“Any idea big-head?”

Zim asked not really knowing how to properly face off a ghoul since he had not expected one to appear in a city.

“Me? How should I know! Maybe we should run?”

Dib shouted hoping that they would get out of this alive. Zim was going to say something but the ghoul when in for an attack and Dib’s run plan was getting a lot more tempting.

“Shit Run!”

Zim shouted as he dodged the ghouls attach with the help of his PAK legs. Dib did not complain and was already through the do when Zim had got through it. With a split-second thought Zim pulled the door shut hoping that would slow down the ghoul.

“Hay Dib and his friend! Ouch that looks like a bad cut. I have a bandage in my beak if you need one.”

On of Dib’s coworker said as Dib and Zim ran past him. They both of them just ignored him as they made there way to the elevator.

“Zim call the elevator it is coming… wait where is it?”

Dib started by shouting out but slowed down when he realized that the door was still shut, and the ghoul wasn’t behind them.

“Guy’s everything okay? You to look like you have seen a ghost.”

Said the same guy as before he was standing just in-front of the bossed door as he spoke.

“Dib is it not chasing…”

Zim started to say but he couldn’t finish his sentence since door was ripped of it hinges. The man standing in-front of the door did not get it easy though. With a splaying sound a slightly transparent hand when through his gut, the hand was holding a portion of the man’s spine. It just got worse as the ghoul used his other hand to pry the man apart sending bloods literally spraying over everything. Dib and Zim ended up getting half their face covered in the man’s blood.

“No, no, no! ELEVATOR, we need the elevator!”

Dib screamed and he instantly turned on the spot and sprinted towards the elevator. Zim must have called it because by the time they got to the elevator the door had opened and the Irken elevator was waiting for them. Dib tried to rush into the elevator, but two metal legs pulled him out just into to stop him being crushed by a desk and the body of the person who was using it.

“Dib we need to stop it. It will not let us go?”

Zim suggested as calmly as possible hoping that would calm Dib down and allow him time to think up a plan.

“Stop it!? How can we stop that thing? We can’t even touch it!”

Dib cried out now starting to want to panic but luckily for him something inside was pushing the fear away getting the panic to slowly disappear. Dib held onto Zim for support since the close blow had basically knocked him off his feet. Dib knew they needed to distract the ghoul or take the thing down, one-way or another it was going to be a struggle.

“Feeling calmer now because I need your human brain to help me think up a plan because Zim is not dying here in this lousy office!”

Zim started not looking down in hope to not get caught off by the ghoul. Dib loosened his grip on Zim which signalled that he was now calm to Zim.

“What can we do then? It is paranormal, how do we stop it?”

Dib asked now standing up but using Zim’s PAK leg to balance. Zim was surprised that Dib couldn’t think of something to stop the ghoul especially since Dib was the one who used to know way too much about the paranormal.

“Dib you should know! You have faced one before when we where young.”

Zim said confused at Dib lack of knowledge about the paranormal. Something must be stopping him from remembering how to fight them and after they beat the ghoul Zim would stop at nothing to get the old Dib back.

“All I know is movies have got them so wrong! They are not really spirits it’s more like there bodies with abnormal energy. We need to remove the abnormal energy, but we have nothing that can direct it out of the body.”

Dib explained even though he didn’t know what he was saying it just sounded right. Dib knew the ghoul would attack soon and that he needed to find a way to at least hold it off.

“What?”

Zim shouted not knowing what Dib was talking about but something about it sounded scientific which resonated back to the old Dib.

“If we can electrify it that would hold it of for us to find a way to…”

Dib has though up a way to distract it but as he made the plan Dib saw a memory stick sitting on his desk and that gave him an idea, one that was crazy but might just work.

“Zim hold it off for a bit. Use the light fixtures to stun it by introducing electricity into the ghoul’s body. I know how to stop it.”

Dib said now running away from Zim and towards the stairs. Dib knew he needed to get into Zim’s base, and he knew just how to do that.

“No you don’t fuck face!”

Zim shouted as the ghoul tried to attack Dib but Zim was able to stick his PAK leg into the ghoul and though into the light fixture above creating a arc of electricity that ran through the ghoul and into Zim. Zim was able to survive it thanks to the PAK diverting the electricity into its internal power storage bit that wouldn’t work to much. The ghoul was stuck in place luckily though its body vibrating ever so slightly the energy had frozen it in place but unfortunately the effect didn’t last to long. Dib has escaped to the ladder though which was good enough for Zim.

“Fucker. I’ll rip that device of your back and use it to cut you into little pieces.”

The ghoul said not completely focused on Zim.

“Computer!”

Dib shouted out trying to see if the base could hear him from her, but it was ineffective. Dib jumped down the stairs so that he was on the floor below and barged through the staircase doors which knocked down someone behind it, but Dib didn’t care he just needed to get to the elevator shaft.

“COMPUTER!”

Dib shouted now closer to where the elevator was but still no response. Hoping that the computer could hear him here was hopeful thinking but with a little plan Dib knew how to get the computers attention.

“Well fuck this!”

Dib said now by the closed elevator door Dib knew that the Irken elevator was just above and he needed to use it to get to the base, but he couldn’t contact the computer to send another. With a single quick action Dib places his fingers in between the doors and pried the door open. Dib was just as surprised as the onlookers that it worked, and the elevator shaft was visible now. Dib looked in and saw the Irken elevator above him.

“Computer! I need the base!”

Dib shouted and this time the computer responded by extending a monitor from the elevator to right in front of Dib.

“Master there you are! What do you need?”

The monitor lit up and a face appeared one the something that Dib didn’t know the computer did.

“I need one of the Book Drives from Zim’s room?”

Dib explained hopping that with the Book Drive he could use it to store the abnormal energy in.

“Do you mean one of these Spell Drives?”

The computer asked now displaying an image of the Spell Drive that he had seen earlier. It was just what Dib was looking for and with a quick modification Dib thought he might be able to use it as a ghoul energy storage device, but he had no idea why he knew how to do this.

“Perfect can you grab one and bring it here!”

Dib said as he felt hope rise up in him. He was sure this plan would work.

“Here you go master. Good luck!”

The computer said as it took a second to retrace one of the Spell Drives and hand it over to Dib before the computer slipped away probably to keep an eye on the fight upstairs with the ghoul. Dib took a second to find how to open the case one once opens he could see the internal working of the Spell Drive. The inside wet a mix of Magic Runes and wired, and Dib could only just make out what was what. The inside also looked slightly Irken as if it had already been modified somehow, it didn’t stop Dib though since within a few minutes he had completely finished with his modification and now wanted to get back to Zim.

“I really hope this works.”

Dib muddles to him self as he moved his was through the floor and back towards the stairs. Dib returned to the office where Zim and the Ghoul were, and the sight was not a good one. Zim was on the floor cradling and arm and using the PAK legs to keep him self steady. The PAK legs were not all there to as Dib spotted a leg right beside him and Dib hope that the legs didn’t have nerves connected to Zim.

“Little Dib is back to save his friend to late.”

The ghoul said ready to pounce onto Zim and most likely strike a fatal blow, but Dib was already ahead of the ghoul and had thrown the Spell Drive at the ghoul.

“Take this!”

Dib shouted at the Drive hit the ghoul strait in the face but except for enraging the ghoul nothing else happened.

“Is that it? I was expecting…”

The ghoul started to speak as it approaches Dib but the second it hovered over Spell Drive it stoped and froze in place not being able to move an inch.

“It worked… kind of.”

Dib said making his was towards Zim who had crawled, so he was sitting again a cubical wall. The wall itself had a number of slices and holes in it some still both blood in them from the few coworker bought up in the fight.

“Dib what happened?”

Zim said talking a look at the unmoving ghoul.

“It’s stuck for the moment and I think that my fault. I forgot the Spell Drive is full so it can’t store the ghoul for the moment.”

Dib explained and he offered a hand to Zim to help him up and Zim took it quickly. Zim was bleeding all over Dib but he didn’t care at all, Dib was just glad Zim was still breathing.

“So, it’s stuck then because the Spell Drive is trying to absorb it.”

Zim asked still trying to rap his mind around what was going on. Dib just shrugged at Zim showing that even he was not to sure.

“The Drive just need some more storage and I think I saw a flash drive somewhere.”

Dib said looking around where his desk had been before it got caught up in the brawl between alien and ghoul.

“Got it.”

Zim explained from behind Dib. Zim had found the flash drive behind Dib where one of the desks had been smashed.

“Okay good let’s end this ghoul then.”

Dib said walking up to the ghoul who was frozen in space but both Dib and Zim could tell that the ghoul was trying to escape. The flash drive slopes in perfectly and the drive made a clicking noise before it started to flush a few times. A mist came from the book and enveloped the ghoul, the ghoul could no nothing but wait for the inevitable. The mist cleared and the body which was left overlooked like and empty husk it’s eye are lifeless and it falls to the floor motionless and the mist disappears.

“Dib we did it. Ouch!”

Zim celebrates before almost falling over because of the pain from his nearly severed arm. The wound looked painful and Dib was pretty sure the bone was severed also.

“Zim let celebrate only when we are in one piece okay.”

Dib said slipping next to Zim and scooping him up in has arms which caught the Irken off guard.

“What are you doing human. Zim can walk on his own!”

Zim complained but Dib ignored his and made his way to the elevator which still had half a person and a desk in it.

“Computer please take care of this.”

Dib said looking at the mess in the elevator. The computer answered by just opening up a hole under the mess and dropping it down the elevator. Dib guessed the the base really was the at the top of the building.

“Well I guess that works. Zim let’s go home.”

Dib says as he enters the elevator and looks at the office one last time.

“We are so fired. Well I guess we should leave now.”


	4. Memories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They try to escape and then Dib goes diving in old memories.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Took a little longer then expected but it now starts and even i have not a great deal of knowlage where this is all going i just know i am loving writing this.

Dib and Zim entered the bases main living area both looking as if they had spent hours tiering them selves out. In truth it had only been about an hour since they had left for work earlier. Dib was already wondering what he would do since now he was jobless, and the idea wasn’t all too worried, but he was concerned with what he would do next.

Zim staged around the base looking for something and Dib couldn’t help but feel the need to help his small green friend. Dib moved over and lightly put his hand on Zim’s shoulder which cause Zim to jump slightly.

“Zim wait are you looking for? You need to go and get that arm fixed in the lab.”

Dib said concerned for Zim’s health, but he was just glad that the arm had at least stopped bleeding blue blood. Zim noticed how Dib didn’t sound like his usual self and it took him a second to place Dib’s emotion and Zim hadn’t hear it since the day Dib left, Dib said concerned not for himself but for Zim.

“Dib, the blood has stopped coming out and my PAK is numbing the pain. We need to leave now though. The police will be her soon and when they see the mess left back in that office… I don’t what to know what they might think, and they will blame it on us. There for I need to move my base now, so I am looking for the evacuation button.”

Zim calmly explain to dib which Dib felt was very out of character. Zim didn’t shout or complain, Zim thought rationally and came up with a way out. It was moments like this that Dib noticed the change that had taken place over the last few years.

“What does the controller look like? Let me help.”

Dib asked starting to search also looking over Zim and watching for any signs of problems. Dib found Zim strangely normal especially with his arm basically severed from just below the elbow. Dib was looking in a room that resemble a library a lot when he found the Controller. The controller was just a large button with the words Escape written on top in marker. The button had been right next to what looked like a well-used chair which basically had an imprint of Zim in it. Next to the button was a advance looking book that Dib thought looked really familiar to him.

The book was a blue colour and it had an inscription on the front that was in Irken but what surprised Dib the most was the fact he could understand the Irken on the front. The front read just one line.

[The Past]

The area looked like it hadn’t been used in a few months especially with the fact a layer of dust was over everything except the book. Dib picked up the book and looked it over a little closer now, the book itself was definitely homemade. On the back was a single engraved signature and Dib definitely knew whose it belongs to since it was his. Dib opened the first page and on the inside of the cover was a single image that confused Dib more than anything.

The image was of Dib and Zim, Dib guessed he looked like he was the age he had been just before he left his hometown to go out working. What confused dib the most was that they looked closer then Dib ever remembered. It was definitely from his prom but Dib remembers that he had decided not to go to prom in the end since he didn’t have anyone to go with as a friend or as a date but, this photo was of him at prom with Zim next to him and Dib even had his arm around Zim’s shoulders. Dib though he knew what had happened back then but this was proof against that, Dib wasn’t sure if it was real or if Zim had just faked the image but no matter what Dib was going to keep this to himself until he knew how to react to the book.

Dib made his way back to Zim where he was still searching for the controller that dib had already found. Dib did first make a quick stop at his new bedroom where he dropped off the book so that he could give it a proper look over later.

“Zim! Zim! Is what you are looking for?”

Dib shouted out as he entered the lab where Zim had ended up after finishing looking through the living area. Zim looked up and his face lightened quickly as he rushed over to Dib.

“Yes Dib. That is the button to activate the Bases escape protocol. Pass it here.”

Zim explain and he held his hand out for dib to pass the button over. Dib placed it into Zim hand and they both made there way over to the elevator.

“Now what?”

Dib asked honestly curious how the Base moves around since it was so large. Zim just chuckled and lead dib through the base to a room dib can’t remember ever entering before. The room wasn’t all that big there was a single seat surrounded by monitors that look just the right size for Zim. Next to that was a newer looking second seating that looked like it was made not that long ago compared to all the other parts of this room.

“Now let’s get out place moving? Just like old times. Take a seat, this will take a few seconds Dib.”

Zim said making his way into the seat at the front and placing the controller into a slot in the panel in front of him. The whole room started to come alive as the screens blinked and came on showing different stats.

“I am glad it hasn’t been to long since I last moved. Make this next part less… Damaging.”

Zim said using the panel to input something before looking over to Dib and pointing to the other seat.

“Dib sit down before anything happens.”

Zim ordered and Dib quickly followed not wanting to put him self in danger. Zim watched him until he was seated and then clicked the large button on the panel, and everything started to make a loud noise very similar to a car engine. Dib’s and Zim’s seats grabbed onto them keeping them in place and unable to move. Dib couldn’t tell when the base had started to move or even how but he knew when they where no longer on the ground since fairly quickly the gravity he normally felt diminished but it wasn’t a feeling he could say he had never felt before. It wasn’t until they where truly in zero gravity bid thing silence down and that the chairs let the move around again.

“There was go. No longer attached to that horrible office!”

Zim said removing him self from the seat and making his was towards Dib with the help of his PAK legs. Zim moved like he had lived like this for a long time, his movement are smooth, and he is steady the whole time. Which was the complete opposite from Dib who as soon as he moved felt like he was going to be sick.

“Dib. Dib. Take it easy. Let me help.”

Zim spurted quickly making his way to Dib who was just floating in the middle of the room looking really uncomfortable. Zim grabbed Dib with his only working arm and used his PAK legs to steady both of them and pulling them to the ground.

“Computer activate artificial gravity.”

Zim shouted out and with a few clicks from the computer the base became easier to navigate for Dib as a pull very similar to gravity started to affect him and he started to feel better.

“Thanks, Zim.”

Dib said gaining some control back from his body and using Zim to hold him self steady till his head stopped spinning. Dib let go of Zim first but Zim kept close to Dib just in case he wasn’t actually better yet.

“Don’t, Dib. Are you okay now?”

Zim ask making sure that Dib wasn’t trying to hide anything from him. Zim also made sure to keep a close eye on Dib to make sure he was really okay. Dib on the other hand was Just glad that he could feel the ground under his feet and that everything wasn’t spinning.

“What Now?”

Dib asked realising they had no plans now and there was nothing they needed to do. Zim stopped and turned to Dib, they both shared the same look. The question was a surprised but Zim know Dib was right, there must be something they had forgotten or something that needed to be done. Zim took a few second to collect his thoughts since a lot has happened but he gradually knew what needed to be done and Dib could help.

“Well we are mainly free but there is a group we need to warn about the Ghoul. If there is one there is a large chance that there are others around that are hidden to.”

Zim explained dragging Dib with him to the lab where he started the use the panel. After a few second Zim stood back as the screen buzzed to life and a hidden figure appeared on the screen.

“Invader!? What are you calling for? We thought you were away on one of your frivolous searches.”

The character on the screen exclaimed, an expression couldn’t be made out but from the voice they sounded confused.

“Head, just giving you a call. There was a matter that Invader took care of with some help and it brought up an interesting fact.”

Zim said not mentioning about the Ghoul Just yet Dib could see a smirk appear on Zim’s face as he annoyed the person on the screen with his vagueness.

“Agent. Invader Spit it out what did you call for?”

The character groaned now with his head in his hands.

“Ghouls are appearing, and I suspect they are trying to find you. They are hidden as harmless humans and they are searching for something. I think you will need that information.”

Zim said a little annoyed at having to give up the information to easily but happy the convocation was almost over. Zim was about to end the call when the character spoke up.

“Agent Invader Keep you ears open then please. Inform us if you hear anything about their moment then.”

Commanded the person on the other side of the screen.

“If I find hear anything, I might inform you okay. Not Bye!”

Zim spoke but he ended the call before the other side could say anything at all. He was very glad that was over, the organisation was fall of humans he couldn’t stand but their network was helpful for hiding his movements.

“They knew you’re an Irken Invader?”

Dib spoke finally and it made Zim jump ever so slightly since he didn’t realise dib was that close.

“No, they use code name. I use the codename Agent. Invader but I am not a fan of it. It was mainly a fluke.”

Zim said moving over to Dib and with the help of his Pak legs he lifted him self so he could rest his head against Dib shoulder.

“I hate this world so much sometime. Thank tallest that you’re here now.”

Zim groaned against Dib. Dib was quite perplexed at why Zim was acting strange, but he didn’t want to anger, and it was quite comforting just standing there together.

“Zim? Zim?”

Dib tried to get Zim’s attention, but I didn’t work the alien had fallen unconsciousness. It could be because of the blood loss or anything so Dib Slipped his arm’s quickly around Zim and Lifted him up so the PAK legs fold back into the PAK. Dib moves with Zim in his arms to the medical chair and lays him down on it. Zim lays there looking way to dead for Dib’s liking, so he tries to hear Zim’s chest for any sound back can’t figure out what he is listing for.

“Computer is Zim going to be okay?”

Dib finally shouts out trying his best to find out how his only friend is going. A few lights activate and some sort of laser come from the ceiling where it looks like it scans Zim.

“Zim’s PAK has gone into sleep mode to help heal the bone, flesh, muscles, and skin around the wound on his arm.”

The computer answered as different stats came up on the screen which Dib could only understand a little bit. Dib moved to Zim’s side and inspected the Wound which already looked smaller, but dib could still see where the bone was. This a little inspiration dib came up with the idea to a at least get the arm in some sort of splint along with a wrapping to keep the area clear. Dib looked around for some sort of medical equipment but the best he could do was find a strait metal rod. Using the rod and a section of his sleeve which he ripped off dib was able to fashion some sort of splint which kept the bone in place. Dib then picked the Irken up and made his way to the only bedroom he knew so that he could put Zim somewhere more comfortable.

The bedroom was just as he had left it earlier which meant it was quite a mess at the moment with thing just thrown around as he was looking at what was here. The book from earlier was still on the bed also and after placing Zim down and tucking his under the blanked Dib picked up the book and with one last look at Zim he made his way back to the Lab.

Dib sat down in the lab on the one other chair in there that was facing the panel of the call under the large screen. The book felt heavier in his hand at the moment like there was more to it the just paper and ink. Dib open up the first page after the photo of Dib and Zim together in the Voot Runner, on that page was writing and it looked like his own handwriting, but dib had no memory of writing this book.

The first page started of:

“March 17th 20XX

A new Journal for a new stage in my life, so much has changed I almost feel like a completely different person but that’s is not a bad thing. It all started a few day’s ago but that doesn’t matter I’ve already written about what had happened over the last few days, this enter is about today. So first off, I no longer live in with my family that is defiantly a large surprise to me and even more so for my family. Gaz say’s it was bound to happen, but I don’t believe her, this out come is not what I or he expected but it worked out so much more then either of us would expect. I just can’t believe I now am living with my once Enemy, Zim says he still can’t believe that he grown attached to a human, but it has happened.

Today I moved into the bedroom he made for me and I have to say he spared no effort at all. He really wanted me to not feel out of place so he when ahead and made the room look like “Home”. I love the room and I’ve never been so excited to live somewhere that wasn’t home, and that’s now all…

~

“Well this was unexpected”

I said moving over to the centre of the room which was a mix od Irken and Human architecture. The room was amazing there was a part the looked just like my room back at the Membrane residence the window looked like it came right out of my room the only thing missing at the moment was my computer but I had brought that with me.

“Don’t you like it Dib?”

I heard from behind me and I turned around to look straight at Zim how sounded a little deflated at my response.

“Are you kidding me! This room as the best.”

I said moving around the room like a giddy little boy, but I couldn’t help it Zim had really put his all into this room and I couldn’t help but be astonished. There was even a table that was a exact replica of the one I have at home, it even had the scratches I put into it.

“Wait is this my actual desk? Did you sneak into my room?”

I accused giving the desk a closer look and noticing how it really was exactly like the one I used to have in my old room.

“No. The mighty Zim is amazing at creating things. I used a photo to recreate it in the fabricator, obviously you would think that since Zim is the best at all things.”

Zim exclaimed to me overacting once again but I couldn’t help but smile at him. He really did deserve the praise this time, but I wouldn’t say that who knew what that would do to his ego. The table also had a book on it which closely resembled my journals that I kept but this book looked a little bit more… Irken.

“What’s this?”

I asked lifting up the book and showing it to Zim who was once again right behind me, he was so close that I almost knocked him over when I turned around.

“I noticed you writing about the great Zim in a thing like that before so I thought I could get you one as a Welcoming prise.”

Zim said and I did notice the little tint of blue on his face and it made something inside my tingle. It was a nice felling and I wouldn’t mind feeling this over the old sinking drop I used to get from hearing Zim’s voice. Truth be told I can’t remember when the sinking feeling stopped but is been a long time since then.

“You mean a gift? That so… Nice.”

I said looking at the Book feeling genuinely pleased. The book was basically the same size as the other journals I have but this one was much more nice looking then the others and I couldn’t help but feel like my life was changing one again and this changed I didn’t mind one single bit.

“Yes that. I thought that what Humans normally do when other humans move into a new place.”

Zim explained and I couldn’t help but smile one more time. Zim had really started putting some proper effort into researching humans finally. If we were had not been friends this fact would scare me but things had changed and I want Zim to be able to hide as a human better than before, last thing I want is for Zim to be caught.

“That actually true. Well done Zim, you might just pass for human after all.”

I said approving of Zim’s now found skills of social interaction. I was looking forward to where he would make silly mistakes in his interactions but from now on, I would make sure he never gets close to being exposed like he did before.

“It’s obvious that the great Zim can pass for human his is a master of disguise.”

Zim exclaimed arrogantly but now he had a hint of humour in his voice which made his bosting much more bearable.

“Sure!”

I shrugged finally opening the book and seeing the first page, my face lit up and a verbally exclaimed my pleased emission.

*Aww*

The picture on the inside of the cover was one I recognised right away. It was from my first friendly flight with Zim in the Voot Runner. We had gone out for a till bigfoot hunting but came back empty handed so we played a few games in the runner. It was an amazing trip that I loved, and I feel like at was at the point the Zim finally accepted me as a friend since this was a turning point for our relationship. It was also my first time seeing Zim smile in a soft kind way, and I now can’t help but try and make him smile like that as much as possible.

“Zim, this is…”

I started but I couldn’t find the words that I was looking for. This book now meant more to me than most of the things I own. I am definitely starting using this journal from now on. I could help but feel so touched at the whole gesture of the room and the book, Zim wanted me to feel at home and didn’t want me to feel out of place and it was so overwhelming. I could not stop the few happy tears appearing in my eye’s and they made there way down my face. I hear Zim almost squeak when he noticed that I was starting to cry.

“Did I do something wrong?”

Zim asked jumping to my side and softly holding onto my shoulder. Zim was next to me using his PAK legs to make up the difference in hight. I wanted to say something, anything really but my voice was just not working at the moment. All I could do was pull Zim in close and hold him tight.

“Thank you so much!”

I mumbled out once I found my voice. I don’t know how long we like that or how we ended up laying on my new bed, but I do remember coming out of my groggy ness and being on my back still holding onto Zim. I loosened my grip on him and allowed him to now home away but it took a few seconds for him to do so.

“What was that?”

Zim asked sounding confused, there was even a small hint of sadness in his voice.

“Sorry. That was a hug I got a little carried away. I am very happy with all and that just happened.”

I tried to explain but it didn’t sound right but there wasn’t really anyway I could explain what had happened.

“Okay well Please warn me next time.”

Zim said and to my surprised he didn’t out right forbid it which he had already done for some other things.

“Will do. Now how about we go get some food?”

~

Dib finished reading the first entry and couldn’t help feeling completely perplexed. This was his writing definitely and he felt like I could kind of remember thing like this happening, but he had no real memory of the events at all. Something must have happened in the past that he couldn’t remember, and it was something that had been lifechanging. Dib felt a panic coming on but something in his mind was pushing it away.

-Calm down-

Dib felt himself gaining control over his emotions again, but he was still worried. This whole thing was a one-way trip and he would have to soon look deeper into this problem and that worried him.

-Don’t-

Dib put the book down on the panel and looked up at the screen. The computer could help him for now. Once Zim wakes up and is better he can help with the fact that his memories seem to be wrong.

“Computer, do you have records from 20XX?”

Dib asked thinking up ways to figure out what is true and what is false.

“Master my memories from between 20XX and 20XX have be removed.”

The computer stated sounding slightly confused itself.

“Who removed them?”

Dib asked trying to get to the bottom of this.

-Stop-

“The records say it was an anomaly caused by something in the system.”

The computer said now definitely sounding confused. Dib stopped and though over this new, an anomaly means that is not something registered. That can only mean that something from outside had gotten into the system and used higher access to remove the data.

-Stop searching”

A soft female voice is hear one that Dib remember very well from his day’s in therapy. Dib looks around for the source but can’t find it, the Therapist was someone he trusted a lot since he had helped him get back to normal after the accident. Dib couldn’t make out why he was hearing the voice now though. The memories of being unable to move because of the accident was something that the Therapist had helped him out with but that had nothing to do with what he was trying to do now.

“Computer, is there a time stamp of the Memories being removed.”

Dib asked trying to get down to the bottom of what was happening.

“The change is time stamped as yesterday, 11:27 PM.”

The computer repeated out as it brought up the information on the screen.

-Stop Searching Now. NOW”

The voice screamed around in Dib’s head like an explosion going of inside him mind. A ringing was leftover, and Dib felt dizzy. The voice was definitely the therapists she had helped him out after getting trapped on the Spaceship and he was about to die.

-NO”

This time it didn’t sound angry, but it did sound afraid. Something in the back of Dib’s mind hit him like a brick and while trying to figure out the memories that had appeared of a Spaceship and rubble crushing him. Dib fell to the floor dizzier then before and he throw up something that was not food, drink or blood it was blue in colour and the sight of it made his heart drop.

Laying on the floor Dib could hear the computer but the words and sounds where completely muffled by the constant ringing that was echoing around his head. Something inside him was burning as if it was burning away at him slowly. Dib attempted to cry out, but no sound came out at all. Everything was going dark and Dib could only focus on his heartbeat now which sounded off.

-Look what you did-


	5. The Therapist

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A stroll through the Past with Dib.  
> Then the largest change to the characters.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am trying to change how I work with Flashback and Memories. Ill try to make them more noticeable.  
> Look out for "~" this still to indicate that the Scene is at least changing. if you have any suggestions on how to make the flash backs and Scene changes better please do help.
> 
> Hope you enjoy know more about Dib's past.

Dib remembered laying there on the floor of the Spaceship he could see the destruction he had caused the ship. It was his fault he was under all this rubble, he had hope he would die quick but now it seamed like he would die of starvation or suffocation, maybe even bloodless from the warm and wet feeling dripping down his pinned back. It had been a while since the panicked sounds or Irken had died down and he thinks that mean the once still alive after the attack are most likely dead. Dib had only watched the Two stupid Tallest die ell the other Irkens had just been around while the explosion when off. Some would definitely survive one way or another, but they were now the last few alive. The ship had perfectly crashed into the Irken home world where the armada had been waiting but with some tweaks to the code of the engine which had caused a chain reaction that had decimated the army.

“The Tallest are dead”

A voice exclaimed a little distance away. The voice sounded different from most Irken it was almost as if the voice was coming from inside his head.

“That’s not too bad the Experimental Nanite Prototype for Advancement failed on those two. They were just escape goats in the end”

The voice sounded like it was getting closer and Dib could hear something moving rubble away very easily.

“Where are there bodies? We need to remove the evidence.”

The voice was definitely right on top of him somewhere and Dib could feel the things walking on top of where he was coved in rubble.

“This place will soon be Vaporised so removing evidence is not to important but getting the Data of there Controllers is important, so we just need to get close enough to connect and they are close.”

The creatures when moving the rubble around Dib and he would soon be visible to them.

“Is that one of them there?”

One of them said to the other spotting where Dib was. Dib couldn’t see them since he was on his stomach, but he felt something pock at him which cause him to groan.

“No but it is alive. It couldn’t be the creature that caused all of this could it.”

The voice was now right behind Dib even though it sounded like it did before. Dib felt the thing grab at his shoulder and pick him up. The thing turned Dib around so that the creature could get a good look at Dib.

“It is, this is the thing that took down the whole fleet.”

The thing said and now that Dib could see it and he noticed it wasn’t talking in a language he should be able to understand it was speaking a version of Irken but dib could make out what most the words meant but the language was popping into his head in a way he could understand.

“Just kill it. There is no need to keep it alive. Found on of the tallest here, it was just beside that creature. Wow that is a lot of fluid.”

The other creature said from behind Dib. The creature resembles an Irken, but they are a lot taller and their bodies had a slight grey tint on top of the normal Irken green. There eyes where very different from what most Irkens have, there was an almost pupil like spot in the middle of there eyes but it was a very bright red almost white instead of black.

“Wait its alive? That cant be. Look at the max of blood here. This creature’s body must be filled with the Advancement Prototype.”

The creature behind said as he looked moved to the spot dib had been laying in a few seconds before.

“You mean this things body hasn’t rejected the Prototype, yet?”

The creature hold Dib said looking behind Dib to the one crouched on the flood examining the blood.

“Exactly. This might be a great opportunity. It just needs a controller implanted and luckily for us two just became free.”

The creature behind said at it did something that made a notice like ripping flesh.

“There we go. We can implant this controller and then see how it progresses. After we can just vaporise this wreckage when we are done, and the others don’t need to know.”

The creature said now standing right behind Did who could only see it from the reflection in the other creature eyes. Nothing happened for a few minutes as the creature behind messed around with something it had ripped out of the dead tallest’s body.

“Come one turn on!”

The thing messing with the device said before it bleeped in his hand and he stopped getting frustrated at it. Dib only felt the cold of a metal plate being put to the back of his neck before a audible click echoed around the room. A searing pain ran down Dib’s back and into the top of his head, it felt like his brain was itchy it was an unpleasant feeling but it was not a bad as the burning which followed at something changed and his sight when black. Dib struggled for a second before he flopped down unable to control his body.

“Ouch the controller sparked. I don’t have a good feeling about this drop him lets go now. We can deal with this place later, that creature is most likely going to die now anyway.”

Dib knew he was slumped on the floor, but he couldn’t see, feel, or anything for that matter. Dib felt like he was floating in a space filled with absolutely nothing and the feeling stayed for what could have been minuets or days.

Eventually Dib felt like he was waking up from a strange nightmare, and he was laying down on a long sofa, dib couldn’t make out where the room began and ended. In a seat not far over from him was an Irken that he was very familiar with since he had been hiding out in its ship for over the past two weeks. Red was sitting there with an annoyed expression on its face.

“I can’t believe this.”

It said laying back a little more

“You, but your dead.”

Dib said unable to move just being able to talk.

“Yes and no. Thanks to you my host is dead.”

The thing said standing up and starting to pace around.

“Host? You’re not the Tallest.”

Dib said confused with who he was talking to. Dib tried to move but his body wasn’t reacting at all to his wants.

“I guess this look is some what confusing. It just what I needed to use with that idiot. Guess for you I will need a different face.”

The thing mentioned as its form became looser and its shape started to change. It looked like different people and Irkens from different places. It stopped and looked like Zim.

“How about this. He seems to mean a lot to you maybe you will listen to him”

The creature said in Zim’s exact voice which caused Dib to feel a coldness run through his spine and felt the coldness envelope himself.

“No good. Well I have another option.”

Zim said changing shape one more time and now it looked like a female human in her late forties it resembled a therapist that Dib was forced to go to by skool after a few bad accidents caused by Zim and Dib fighting.

“How is this.”

She said and just the voice soothed him slightly.

“Good this will work then.”

She said sitting back down a materialising a note pad out of nowhere.

“What do you want?”

Dib said still unable to move in anyway.

“Acceptance. I need you to accept my help then we can work on getting you fixed.”

She said tapping a pen against the note pad which copied out exactly what the therapist used to do.

“Accept your help? But your Irken there is no way I can accept that ill make it through myself.”

Dib said closing his eye’s willing this all away.

“Fine, lets see how you do out there for now. Ill be seeing you soon.”

The room and the therapist died away as dib felt himself falling suddenly. Dib opened his eyes and he was back in the spaceship. he was crumpled up on the floor unable to make a move. The position was very uncomfortable, but he couldn’t really move it felt like something was holding him down. Dib could only wiggle a figure at the moment. Dib just lay there slowly testing out the moment in his hands. It took quite a while but eventually he was able to ball his hand up and open them, but it took quite a time just to do this action.

-Want my assistance?”

The woman’s voice echoed around in his head. Dib felt weird hearing the voice, but something was stopping him from panicking it felt a lot like being on antidepressants. You knew you normally would be panicking but at the moment it all just felt numb.

“Leave me alone I can handle it.”

Dib tried to say out loud, but he couldn’t make a single sound. There was no answer though and Dib started to feel silly it was basically talking to himself. Dib could very slowly move his arms they did felt like they are surrounded in cement though. Movement was near impossible for Dib he felt out of body almost, but he was against getting any help from the strange Irken Device attached to him. Dib had been able to use his arms to push his body over, so he was no longer crumpled up in a pile.

-Impressive. You shouldn’t be able to move at all looks like your nerves are healing faster then expected. No idea what is causing that.”

The therapist chimed in commenting on Dib’s progress. What the voice was coming from was extremely annoying to dib it both wanted to control him but at the same time dib could feel the presence blocking something a lot more dangerous out.

Dib ignored the therapist and when back to trying to control his movement. He started to gain some control over his legs and arms, but it is very limited. At the moment he just slipped his legs out of underneath them self so that he could at least get a view of his surroundings. The cockpit had been completely destroyed all that was left was one screen that was some how still working and had an image of the outside on it. There was another fleet of ship outside but those had a different Irken marking on the outside but not just that they were destroying the remaining Irken armada ships that had some how not been destroyed yet.

-Look at that. You did it the whole armada. Too bad we where not the only Invader force out there. Even I didn’t know there was a stronger more deadly force like them, though I should have guessed it makes sense.”

The therapist exclaimed as she was seeing the same as what Dib was seeing. A thought that sent down a shudder through his spine hit him, he remembered the Different Irkens speak about vaporisation.

“They are removing all traces of live from here. This does not bode well!”

Dib said and this time he was talking to the Irken-Therapist-Thing inside him. Dib could see most of the fleet starting to leave but the three largest ships were still in orbit around the Planet. They are just hovering there in a way the just felt like trouble, almost as if they were aiming something. Dib was upset that he was right though when he saw each ship charging a beam of some sort.

-Well looks like you will need my help here if you want to live.”

The controller told Dib even though dib was really against the idea.

“No, I can’t give up my self like that.”

Dib shouted out feeling a tear getting summoned inside him, but it was supressed very quickly.

-It’s now or never.”

It explained knowing that they would both be wiped out now or if they worked together there was a chance for surviving.

“Fine but I don’t trust you this is just temporary.”

Dib groaned and his will cracked at the idea of submitting to Irken Technology.

-Finally. Get Ready this might hurt!”

The therapist said and Dib body started to feel really hot then cold. His body was starting to come back under his control but there was something there holding him back, but it didn’t stop him from being able to move.

-Go, save us. This is all I can give you for the moment.”

The voice shouted almost ringing around Dib’s head making him feel dizzy.

“Fine but not so loud.”

Dib said grasping his head and feeling a headache coming on. Dib know he needed to find a way to survive a strike from three ship simultaneously. The only possibility would be to block the blast, but it would still need to look like a success to the other Irkens. A small survival area would be best, but it would still be dangerous since collapse would be possible. Dib could now move more easily with the help of the controller, with movement being possible Dib picked him self up off the floor and made his way back to the one last working panel. The panel was in Irken along with the screen and he was struggled to make out what was what.

-Need a translator. I can help with that to.”

The therapist said and a sharp pain his Dib’s head causing him to lurch forward slightly.

-*Laugh* Should I be softer next time?”

The voice laughed at his causing an abnormal rage to fill him up which caused the voice to gasp before the Felling got subdued. Dib was in a hurry, so he ignored the feeling and when back to the panel which he didn’t struggled to understand this time.

Dib was able to open up the computer interface and move through the Menus with a far amount of ease now that he could understand the language a lot better. Dib used a menu on shield operation to form a small shield around the whole control room.

[Shield Formed]

[Shield Maximum Duration: 75]

[Shield Maximum Duration: 74]

Read out the screen and dib didn’t even need to do the calculation to know that that was not enough time.

-Seventy-four seconds really?”

The voice said sounding defeated. Dib cause understand the feeling of Panic since the timing was very low.

“There is one work around but it’s kind of stupid.”

Dib said knowing what he was about to do would almost certainly end up causing a problem. With a few clicks and tapping dib was able to change some of the properties to the shield he had created. The shield now formed right around him.

[Shield Formed]

[Shield Maximum Duration: 217]

[Shield Maximum Duration: 216]

The shield formed only around Dib it was just tall enough for his head to fit in when he pulled his head down a bit. The position was uncomfortable, but the duration of the shields now was more likely to save him.

-Really, Fuck. We are so dead.”

The voice exclaimed. Dib had some confidence though and he hoped it would be enough to save him from the impending doom he was facing.

*Crackle* *Fwoosh*

Dib didn’t have time to alter or change anything since it was just then that a strong red light come in from outside the control room. There wasn’t a large explosion at first but after a second the place heated up to a point when Dib could feel his skin cooking, but he couldn’t move if he wanted to survive. Something changed inside him and the ability to feel died down and all that was left was an odd numb feeling. The permanent sound of exploding lasted for a while before with one last explosion everything died down, with the last explosion the shield collapsed around Dib. The shield collapsing causes a lot of debris to fall onto dib and he felt lucky that it didn’t instantly crush him to death. Once again though dib was not able to move in any way.

Dib’s sight started to fail him as everything slowly when black and he felt like he was suffocating. Dib felt like he was floating around in nothing, the void around him felt od and he found him self forgetting what had happened to cause this.

-Well you did it.”

A voice congratulated him, and he opened his eyes to find himself in a sparkly decorated room with a person sitting opposite him.

“You survived the accident with minimal brain damage.”

The person explained now standing up and walking over to dib who felt a lot smaller than he normally would.

“What happened. Why can’t I remember.”

Dib asked feeling conflicted as he looked at the nicely dressed lady who was examining him.

“The mental damage caused by the accident has been repressed to stop any more mental deterioration it’s all we could do to help you out.”

The lady said but Dib didn’t believe her she must have done this for a different reason. Dib tried to recall where he just was, but it was all blank.

“LIES. You did something to me. What are you up to?”

Dib shouted trying to stand up but just now noticing that he can’t move at all. He was just able to sit there and talk.

“Dib… You were dead, more or less. I did all I could to save the rest of you. Its only thanks to your condition that you are still here.”

She tried to explain but Dib had stopped listening he was trying to recall what had happened.

“Stop!”

The lady shouted and Dib felt himself being pushed back and a dizziness hitting him.

“The repression is to keep you… you. With your condition if you feel broken it will try to fix it and there is only one way it knows to do that, and it will replace what is there with a programmed response.”

She spoke normally again trying to convince Dib to stop digging and he did. Dib was afraid of the power this lady had.

-You need to trust me!”

The voice said one more time.

~

Dib shook as the few memories of a different past to the one he remembers hits him. He started to burn all over like something was Burning under his skin.

“Master?!”

The computer shouted but didn’t get any response from Dib how could barely hear him. Dib felt a burning on his face like someone was pealing a part of his face off.

-Calm Down! I Need to help!”

The voice echoed around in Dib’s head and he felt a rage wrap over him as he remembered what the ‘Therapist’ had done to him.

“Fuck off Controller. Don’t change me. I AM DIB!”

Dib shouted through the pain the voice came out different to how his voice normally was it barely sounded like an earth language.

-Stop resisting let me slow it down again!”

The voice echoed once more but Dib ignored it fulling back in pain once more.

While Dib was in pain the computer had taken it upon him self to first analysis what was happening to Dib and secondly, he used everything it had to wake Zim up from his Pak induced slumber.

*Siren*

The noise didn’t wake Zim up who was less asleep and more in an induced coma by the PAK. In the end to wake Zim the computer had to apply an electric shock strait to Zim’s PAK, which the computer enjoyed doing. Zim was up quickly and about was about reprimand the computer until a screen appeared with an image of what was happening in the Lab at that very minute. Zim’s face drained of his pink blood which turned his face pale.

“Computer take me there NOW.”

Zim ordered getting himself ready for what the fasted method of travel was.

“Like I wasn’t going to do that.”

The computer scoffed while extending a hook and grabbing Zim and pulling him quickly away from the bedroom and to where Dib was. Zim landed on his feet hard but kept himself steady by using his PAK legs.

“Dib!”

Zim shouted out as he heard the agonising screams dib was making. Dib looked up and his eyes where blooding, but the blood was somewhere between red and blue.

“Help me Zim.”

Dib called out collapsing to the floor once again as he writhed in agony. Zim ran over and dropped to the floor to hold Dib but as he lay his hand on Dib’s shoulder he pulled away as his figure burned from how hot Dib was.

“Computer what happened?”

Zim asked as he used his Pak legs to hold onto Dib delicately.

“He was reading a passage from that book. Then he fell down in pain and now from my analysis a change has happened, and he is slowly becoming less human something inside dib is sending a signal to.”

The computer explained showing and image of what had gone down on the screen.

“What the signal relaying?”

Zim asked as he examined all over Dib’s body now noticing a few changes to his form that had not been noticeable before.

“A message: Nanites using Irken Template to repair Dib.”

The computer told Zim which caused him to freeze.

“That should be impossible. Computer can you encode a PAK with human template?”

Zim asked feeling the answer would be a no.

“In a way but it needs to be an exact replica of Dib’s DNA.”

The computer said and Zim face dropped once more. Zim knew he didn’t have any DNA from how Dib was before he had sacrificed himself.

“Can we use the DNA we collected from yesterday? It would be better than him completely changing.”

Zim said placing Dib down on the medical Chair and moving over to the Panel to retrieve the DNA imprint from the day before.

“I can work but it will still be unstable. We can’t do it as is.”

The computer explains before going silent for a few seconds.

“Computer. What can we do then?”

Zim said now starting to sound afraid.

“Another Message came in: Use the Template.”

The computer chimed in after a few more second of silence.

“Set up a PAK.”

Zim ordered as he attempted to position Dib who was still trying to thrash around in pain. Zim was able to pin Dib down with help from his PAK legs that he used to pin his friend down. The sight was terrifying to Zim who could se dibs skin and body deform from something happening under his skin. The computer finished programming the PAK and lowered it down from the ceiling where it hung for a second with the connection node exposed. Zim was underneath the PAK and had already removed the Dib’s shirt and had cleared the location of any hair.

“We are ready lower the pack down, NOW.”

Zim commanded as he continued to use his PAK legs to keep Dib from moving which was harder than it should have been. The PAK lowed and just as it was about to make skin contact Zim used his free arm to align the PAK and then pressed it down hard. The noise of skin tiring and a metallic click rang out from the PAK as it lit up. Dib’s thrashing slowed down, and his breathing began to become more stable and more regular.

Dib started to get control of his body once more but the whole thing felt wrong like it was both overused and had not been used before.

-Finally. Now I can finally work correctly!”

The voice of the therapist rung out threw Dib’s mind but unlick before the voice was more manageable and he didn’t get dizzy from the sound. Dib wanted to speak up or protest, but his body wasn’t responding to him. The most worrying fact to dib was that he felt his mind slipping away from him.

Zim put his PAK legs away but remained on top of Dib and made sure to inspect the ex-human. Dib looked better then Zim had expected, Dib had a little torn skin here and there caused from accidently hitting into thing as he thrashed around but mostly Dib was in one piece. Zim inspected the tears and noticed that the blood was brighter than Zim knew it normally was. Dib also had a little discoloration around some of his wounds that gave them a slight green tint. Zim was just glad that nothing had happened to Dib, Zim lay down onto of Dib and used his antenna to feel for the ex-human’s heartbeat.

Laying there listening to dib’s heart and breathing calmed down Zim once more and he just lay there allowing both his PAK and Dib’s new PAK to do their job. It was not long till Dib’s PAK administered something to him that caused him to pass out once more, right on top of Dib.


	6. Awakening

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So much happens when something changes drastically. Can Dib and Zim get through it or will everything fall down around them. What is happened to Dib.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This took a while for multiple reasons all my own personal problems with timing and work but i was able to finish this chapter.  
> The next one might take a while to but i will try to get back to the Once a week, work just been making that hard since I've been given more responsibilities now.

Dib woke up feeling stiff all over. His body had a heavy weight right next to him and his back was aching from something pressing down into it. Dib’s mind was a mess and he couldn’t remember where he was or what was going on. Running through his last few memories felt wrong as if he had just been a passenger in his own body.

“Fuck”

Was all dib could manage before opening his eyes to try and get a better look at where he was. With the surrounding slowly coming into view dib could easily tell that he was still in Zim’s lab but he could of sworn that he had defiantly been in the massive as it had just been attacked by the Proto Irkens.

-Wrong! That was a long time ago?”

Said a voice that dib remembered all to well. The voice didn’t help make him feel any more comfortable with what was going on with his memories.

“Shut up! This is all your fault I bet.”

Dib mumbled out loud not in any mood to conversate with the digital being he had come to name ‘The Therapist’. Dib remembered spending months and months with nothing to do except talk to the Therapist. Now he wanted to have a convocation with anyone else.

-Not really but, like you will believe that.”

The Therapist said knowing that Dib still though of it as an enemy. Dib distrusted any Irken device that come from the tallest and the Therapist was no acceptation to that. Dib tried to lift him self off the Medical Chair but something next to him stopped him by getting in the way almost cause Dib to fall on it but luckily dib caught himself in time.

“Zim?”

Dib quietly said and he was surprised to see the Aliens now under him because of the way Dib had moved. The alien looked just like he had when he had last seen him but that was not a shock to Dib.

-Dib it had literally been no time at all since you last seen him?”

The therapist said now starting to sound confused over Dib reaction. The therapist could see into Dib’s mind but even for it there was thing that it couldn’t do. It took this sort of comment to get the Therapist to start wondering if something has gone wrong.

“What? But I haven’t seen Zim since I left earth.”

Dib said louder then he had meant to. And dib started to try and recall what had happened, but his mind was so jumbled it was hard to make out what and when things happened. It was the realisation that Dib made that started to unravel the event from the past few years.

At first it was just a simple memory of him walking out of a forest closed to where his first house was after he left home. This memorised cause a flood of other memories and very quickly like a film played way to fast, the events from the past years came back to him. The houses he had lived in, the jobs he had for short periods of time, even the few times he had attempted to go back home but something in him had stopped this from happening. This felt like it had taken quite a while to finish but when he came to from the flood of memories, he was still holding himself just above Zim.

-Well That’s, that then.”

The therapist said sounding a little upset that Dib had relived the last few years. Though Dib knew some thing where still missing from his memories and most of them where from before arriving back on earth. It was as if only memories from after the encounter with the Therapist where crystal clear and all the others are just unclear.

“What?”

Dib mumbled once more as he moved quickly off the chair and onto his feet. He had struggles standing as his legs felt like plastic but with help from the medical chair, he was able to gain some balance. Dib had no idea what to do truth be told, all he could do at the moment was stand there next to the medical chair that now house Zim alone.

“Dib?”

A weak voiced Zim said as his PAK booted up once more. Zim looked up and Dib and instantly noticed a change with the person that mattered the most to him at the moment. Dib looked like he did yesterday but there was something with his eyes. If Zim had to place the look as best he would say dib looked lost or confused. The look brought panic to the Irken instantly and he jumped up, scanning the room once before moving so he was more face to face with Dib.

“Dib. What happened?”

Zim asked wanting to know why the Ex-Human look lost, along with wanting to know what had cause the event from yesterday. Dib just turned to look directly at Zim while still feeling worried about his memories and what had happened to him over the last few years.

“I remember but…”

Dib started wanting to explain it all to someone who would listen especially if it was Zim who he trusted a lot before he had left.

“I left!”

Dib stared to remember the event that had started all of this.

“I wanted it all to end. They came for you because of me. I needed to fix it. So, I left without a word.”

Dib explained and Zim started to understand a lot more about what had gone down but he still was so confused but he couldn’t let that confusion become anger, mainly because as Dib started to speak he also broke down tears where falling down his face and Zim wanted to do anything to stop them.

“I don’t care Dib.”

Zim comforted Dib as one of his smaller hand pulled Dib closer.

“You are back and that is all I can ask for. I will get you back for this but for the moment just calm down and get better.”

Zim tried to sooth Dib by slipping he head into Dib neck and holding the Boy tight. The hug was long and neither wanted to move at all. Dib had stopped crying and had slipped his arms around Zim. It was the computer that got their attention in the ned as it let off a small cough.

“Scans show that Dib’s vitals have returned to normal and that his body is no longer being targeted by the Nanites. The PAK is supressing the change with 97 present efficiency.”

The computer explains as the other two slipped out of the hug that had most likely lingered for longer than they had realised.

“PAK?”

Dib said somewhat confused with the explanation of how he was healed. Dib took a second to look around, First though was maybe Zim used his PAK to help him but that wouldn’t make any sense he remembers what Zim’s PAK did to him last time he had it attached to himself.

“The great Zim came up with the solution to what was happening to Dib-Thing.”

Zim said straitening up his back and making him self taller. Zim spoke with confidence and arrogance feeling proud that he helped find the solution.

The computer coughed one more time and Zim just slouched slightly.

“The computer also helped.”

Zim spit out unhappy with having to share the credit.

Dib didn’t move or speak for a few seconds as his mine unwrapped what he was told. The though was originally simple that Zim had used his PAK in someway to sustain his life but that didn’t make much sense since he had lots and lots of experience with Zim’s PAK and knew that being connected to it in any way was a basic death sentence for him. The pain he had gone throw the few time it had attacked itself to him when he was younger still haunted him to this day. It was an uncomfortable pressure on his back and the fact he felt slightly heavier that told him something was different with him at the moment. All it took was a hand reached around his back and Dib instantly knew what was creating the extra weight.

“A PAK?”

Dib shouted in a tone somewhere between angry and terrified. Zim had Attached an Irken PAK to him. Dib thought that maybe Zim had not changed much from when Dib was very young, but that though didn’t linger one bit.

“It saved your life!”

Zim shouted back just as loud but he sounded hurt by dib’s outburst. Zim had done everything in his power to save his only friend but Dib just shouted in his face at his kindness.

“I… I didn’t…”

Dib was stuck for words. He knew that he had to apologise in some why since Zim had definitely saved his life but some dark corner of him did not want to back down right away. With a loud exhale Dib knew had was very much in the wrong and his real concern should be more on the whole picture of what had happened to him.

“For get it. I was being stupid.”

Dib apologised sounding not as sincere as he felt at the moment. Zim just rolled his eyes and sat down once again basically on Dib.

“Dib-Stupid is always acting that way. I am just glad you’re okay now.”

Zim softened up and relaxed more as he sat that, and Dib could do nothing except move slightly so they are both comfortable.

“Zim, what happened? My mine feels all cloudy like I am missing something, and the Lady just will not leave me alone!”

Dib said leaving an arm around Zim so he wouldn’t fall from his perch.

“The part of Dib that was changing accelerated, it was killing you and…”

Zim started to explain what had gone down as best ah he could but something Dib had said confused him and made his quite up for a few second halfway through his explanation.

“The Lady?”

Zim asked finally as something in Zim started to tighten up which was a completely new feeling, or so he thought.

“What?”

Dib asked trying to figure out what Zim was asking before it hit him when what he had said came back to him.

“The lady that will not leave you alone?”

Zim asked plainly. Dib gulped down his nerves and knew he was not going to hid anything for Zim.

“Well it a long story but it starts when I left on the Massive years ago.”

Dib when ahead and explained everything he could remember from his time on the massive and the months after while be somehow survived on the destroyed carcass of the ship. Zim gasped at the mention of the Proto Irkens and the prototype the was placed or found its way into him but Zim didn’t stop Dib, he didn’t even ask any questions at the time. There was a lot of details that as he was talking about them to Zim he noticed that they just didn’t make sense. He had survived the incineration and being crushed by debris and he was at the time still human to his knowledge. He didn’t knew how he got back to earth though since he was on the other side of the universe all he remember is one day he was on the ship struggling to survive, then the next thing he remembers he is on earth again but he had no memory of the ship or the thing that had happened to him. More horrifying now though is that he had little to no memories from Dib and Zim’s Friendship, it was like Dib had years of fake memories. The knowledge that something had removed Zim from Dib’s mind infuriated Zim and want to make that thing pay with its life but Dib was able to calm the small Irken down.

“The I just lived where I was needed, even though I couldn’t remember the Paranormal I still had the urge to chase the unexplained hence why I became a researcher. Though looking back on it now the places I worked always seemed a little… Sketchy.”

Dib finished his retelling of the past few year and lay there on the operating table just happy to have some time to relax and for having Zim back finally.

“And here I though you had Died. I am so glad you didn’t, I am so glad you are Dib.”

Zim said tightening his grip on Dib’s shirt and pulling him closer one again. This time Dib actually pulled Zim up and into his own tight embrace but making sure Zim could still breath.

“It might sound like a lot had happened to me, but it all feels… so far away. Like I haven’t really done anything in a long, long time.”

Dib sighed sounding sadder than he has all day which was unnerving to Zim. The two just sat there for as long as they could until a cough came from somewhere behind or above them. the two just parted ever so slightly as they both looked around.

“I hate to brake up this touching moment, but Dib needs some proper rest to fully heal up. I’ve taken it upon my self to act in the place of a doctor since both of you are not… Mentally ready to handle responsibility.”

The computer chimed in sounding somewhere between professional and snarky. The two did want to argue or ignore the Computers orders but they both knew that the Computer was right, and they did need to properly look after their injuries.

“Okay Computer we will go when ready.”

Zim said knowing all to well that they could and should leave right that moment but the last thing he wanted was to part from Dib and in the end, it was that feeling the really struck Zim with confusion.

“That if better then nothing but it was less of a suggestion really. My patient’s body is still going through some painful and dangerous changes. I’ve set up the bedroom to monitor his vitals and even set up regular PAK and Body scans there. You can even stay with him there if you want but I thought you would be more worried about reporting back.”

Zim felt himself get embarrassed at the mention of staying with bid in his actual bed but the since it was the computer that brought it up he wanted to play it of cool since he had only recently started getting along with the AI.

“Good point. I’ve still got work to do. Computer take Dib to the bedroom and keep a very close eye on him. That will give me time to get this ship moving and in location to actually fully report back and even drop off the Spell Drive I bet the Nerds will love to take a look at that.”

Zim spoke now sounding a lot more authoritative even though he was still basically hanging off Dib and finding it really hard to gain the will to let got. After what had felt like hours to Zim when he was finally able to pull himself away from Dib, it was actually only a few second. Zim marched his way to the bridge of his ship only starting to mope about having to work when he was out of sight from Dib.

“Having to move this infernal…” “No fun” “Dib all alone” “Zim all alone”

Zim rambled on for a little while under his breath as he lay down in the pilot’s chair. He loved this room, he had designed it him self and it worked even better in zero gravity but at the moment he didn’t care, his mine was only stuck on one place and person.

Dib had watch Zim leaved before attempting to stand and getting a pipe in the belly for his attempt. He was glad the pipe was softer than it looked.

“Slow down there. I’ve done my research on human medical procedure and I’ll handle all this.”

Dib took a second to realise what the computer was talking about. Then he spotted the makeshift stretcher, it wasn’t all the badly put together. Old bed parts and some where that he though he recognised from one of Zim’s old Plots made for a fairly good stretcher.

“Can’t you just lift me to the room then? Isn’t this all unnecessary.”

Dib said trying to argue some point that he really didn’t care about at the moment.

“Humans are fragile. Transporting you like that in your current state could do more damage. This transportation bed, or stretcher it a good was for you to move without moving. That way your inside stay there.”

The computer explain and Dib could tell that research had been done just not very well and it made him laugh slightly. Being a researcher for so many years meant he knew was bad a sloppy research looked like and he now understood why Zim never really found a way to fit in to humanity.

“Okay, Fine. Lets just get to the bedroom I want to get some proper rest.”

Dib said feeling a lot more tired then he though he should feel having only woken up a few hours ago. Dib was wondering how he was going to be moved to the stretcher, but he got his answer where a metal tendril slipped from the ceiling and somehow effortlessly slipped him onto the stretcher. Dib just lay there and allowed the computer to do what it wanted. He didn’t know how the computer was moving the stretcher but before he knew it, he was back in the bedroom which now look both messier and fuller. The room had what looked like human hospital machine except they where already functioning even though Dib was not attached to them. with the help of the tendril again Dib was slipped into the bed that was very comfortable. Dib couldn’t sleep on his back because of the PAK but he was no stranger to sleeping on his front. His conscious state didn’t last much longer before a strange tiredness took over him.

Dib though he was going to get a nice peaceful sleep where dreams wouldn’t hit him but he was wrong and before he knew it he was in the therapists office once more but this time she looked less like the therapist from back when he was very young. At first, he thought the thing had taken on the look of Zim but that wasn’t right at all since Zim just wasn’t that tall. With a few seconds to look over its new for Dib noticed when he looked like. The thing now looked like an Irken version of himself, his clothing even matches Dib’s style just more Irken.

“Welcome back Dib.”

It said still sounding like the therapist which just felt wrong and it noticed or felt Dib’s feeling towards it voice.

“Okay do this will work better then.”

It said sounding like feminine. Dib couldn’t put his figure on who he sounded like but that actually worked, and Dib didn’t mind the new voice that much.

“What do you want? I though you wouldn’t have anything to say for a while.”

Dib said having wanted to ignore his ex-therapist as much as possible.

“Well that’s not how this works at all. You need my help to suppress and control your new body, and I need you… To live. Now the reason I pulled you here once more is to warn you.”

The thing said actually sounding honest and some what caring which made Dib feel really uncomfortable.

“What’s there to warn me about? The Irken are mostly dead now, my life is no longer in much danger, and the Proto Irken most likely think I am dead.”

Dib said counting on his fingers the things that are no longer threats to him.

“I need to warn you about yourself!”

It said again sound like it cares.

“What… I am fine I’ve been very in control.”

Dib started but was cut off when the thing told him to be quiet.

“You are very not in control. I’ve been supressing your emotions, but I can’t do that when you wake up. You are a mess on the inside and I need to work on keeping you as human as you are right now.”

It said explaining Dib’s surprising calmness over the whole incident.

“Wait I have been calm because of you? What will happen when I wake up.”

Dib asked starting to feel worried which only made him feel so much worse.

“Since I was surpassing your feeling you body will try and composite later. You will feel thing more intensely.”

It tried to explain but Dib didn’t understand much.

“That doesn’t sound too bad.”

Dib said feeling a lot less worried now.

“No! It is very bad, and I can’t help you. Tomorrow will be hard for you and you are very human emotions, it would have been easier if you were more Irken but as it stands your still very… Human.”

It said and in no way did Dib feel any better if anything he was starting to feel more stressed and was not looking forward to the day to come.

“What can I do?”

Dib asked and for once he wasn’t hating the idea that the Irken creature was with him.

“Don’t know. Find something that calms you down and stick to that for the day. That the most likely thing to help you come with the flood of chemicals that will hit you tomorrow.”

It answered trying to be helpful even if Dib though it was not helpful in any way.

“Okay, Fuck. This is going to be hard.”

Dib said as the room around him started to crumble and the thing looked like it got further away. The feeling was as if a blanked was rapped around Dib and then used to pull him away and into the darkness.

“Also, I am not a think. I am the Controller, remember that.”

The controller was able to say sounding a little hurt before it slipped away, and that was when Dib felt a deep and heavy sleep hit him and withing second, he slipped away into a now dreamless deep sleep.


	7. The Network

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Are things finally settling down for the pair or is this the calm before the storm.  
> New friends? Old friends?  
> What will these two friends do next.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Long delay due to new direction for me and my social media.  
> You can now find me on both twitter and tumblr:  
> Twitter: @DroxTopHat  
> Tumblr: @tophatdrox
> 
> I am now out there doing art and more give me a look, who know you might like what you find.

It was a weird sensation sleep had taken Dib but he mind was still active, he didn’t feel the world around him but he didn’t feel the sleep like he used to. This was the first time he had properly rested instead of passing out for one reason or another. His mind felt clearer then it had in a long time and he felt as if he was succeeding in breaking down and understanding what was happening to himself. Dib felt like it must be because he body was sleeping or maybe because the controller had started actually helping him but he had not felt this calm in a long time.

The memories of Himself and Zim crossed his mind and it was like he could see and feel the moment they had met. The memory was so clearer than it had ever been before and it even felt like it was getting clearer.

Dib wondered if this was an effect of having a computer connected to his brain and the though was worried for all of the seconds. Dib didn’t feel the need for an answer since he thought he already knew the answer. There was a lot Dib was questioning now like what had happened all the years ago when he had made his way into the massive without telling Zim.

The memory of him on his phone as the massive away attempting to leave earth. The call he made to Zim was short but he still remembered exactly what he was able to say to Zim. Though he will always regret not saying more.

“I am so sorry for leaving but my plan work. I did it but now… now earth is yours to protect. I trust and bleach in you. Please, for me. Please don’t try to rescue me. I…”

The connection to earths networks cut off and Dib wasn’t able to finished his goodbye but he knew it would have to do. Dib was not done, he needed to make sure the Massive would never come back to hurt anyone else ever again or to threaten any other planet ever again.

After destroying the important parts of the massive Dib had found himself unable to for several days but he knew he needed to make his way to the bridge. Once Dib was ready he made he way to confront the tallest and their small army. The fight didn’t go well for anyone.

The memories of what happened after that are scrabbled but fragments of his escape where there but he couldn’t make out the order of event. He just remembered landing back on earth and feeling very unlike himself.

“That was a side effect, I needed to balance you out. To help you I tried to force your hand like I had attempted with that tallest long ago but unlike them your mind was strong and after a while it filled in the blanks, I lost control mostly and you started your second life. I had tried to set up good and easy life fo you.”

The voice of the controller explained as his form materialised beside him. Even though the controller was there next to him he couldn’t help but still feel alone but that didn’t make I’m had. It was almost like a dream where you knew how you should feel but your emotion felt so far away.

“It didn’t work I was empty, something important was missing. We human not like being played with.”

Dib scoffed even though a feeling of relief did flood over him.

“It was the best I could do with what I had and the data Zim had collected for the tallest over the years was just plain wrong”

The controller sounded almost real but Dib knew better it was just a program. A really advance program.

“He never really tried and after we started working together he set wrong information for fun. Before it was always about taking control and not actually learning. After he just wanted to have fun.”

Dib said smiling as a few memories of his fights with Zim crossed his mind.

“That Irken has always been different to other smeet. It’s what got him labelled as defective and why after what happened between him and the tallest they wanted to destroy him, nothing I could do made them forget him. He is way to emotional and his attitude changes like a strange quark.”

The controller theorised and they both just watched memories with Zim pass in front of them. It was like watching a play of his life with Zim.

“Maybe that’s what let me get so close to him. Had he been a normal Irken he might have just throw me aside.”

Dib groaned as he let a little sadness athwart could have happened. Even at the beginning when they fought like there life depended on it Zim hadn’t actual done anything that could kill him and the few time he had Zim made sure he survived saying that he had a more painful death in mind for him. Dib remembered once when he had removed his liver an a lung, he had almost died there at school but Zim had grabbed Dib almost lifeless body and had taken him to Zim’s lab to save he and even given Dib improved organs saying that if Dib was going to die it would be because Zim killed him and not something going wrong in his body.

“He was afraid!”

The controller mentioned as he watched the mommy with Dib.

“No way. We had only just met.”

Dib said giving the controller a glance and seeing for maybe the first time ever he gave the controller a proper once over. To say that it looked Irken now was wrong, the green skin was there but it skint was almost transparent when you actually gave it a good look. Dib had never noticed since he didn’t like giving the controller any attention but something had changed, maybe it was the soft expression on it face or maybe he had just got used to the controller finally.

“You might have just met but Zim never had the chance to interact with other Irkens. You are the first thing that took an interest in him and you even actively chased after him. He must have afraid of being alone again! I know you can relate to that.”

The controller explained once again. To Dib things started to make sense, all the times Zim had saved him. Zim had the ability to remove Dib from his path but never did and it are sense now. Dib understood now why Zim had stopped enacting plans that were just crazy dangerous after the event with the quantum hole. Dib had always though it was because he didn’t want to endanger a planet he wanted to rule but it was more because of Zim’s relationship with Dib. Zim had stepped a little to far and saw what would happen if he didn’t stop his dangerous plans, and what he saw in the quantum hole had spooked him more then Dib had realised. Fights from that point on always seemed more evenly matched with the winner being randomly being one of them. That’s also when the two of them started to get along in skhool, they stopped fighting in school and started to hang out even while they still fought out of skhool.

Dib could feel himself less control of him emotions, the knowledge that they likely didn’t need to fight all the time but because dib felt threatened by every little jab at him, he had taken a very aggressive stance against Zim. All the times he had needlessly started to form from him memories, Dib had on countless times started a fight with Zim just to feel needed. If it hadn’t been for them accidentally getting closer he might have ended up actually dying but not because of Zim’s stupidity but his own.

“For a long time you two couldn’t see it. Though I am not surprised at all by how you used to act. Your still very…”

The controller stopped for a second to try and find the right word which did surprised Dib since the controller was a program and shouldn’t struggle like this.

“Dense. Stubborn, and some tome just plain stupid. It’s east to see you should accept the help of others more often.”

The controller scolded Dib. He knew that the controller had a good point but to trust a creature that he was once technically fighting against fell down right wrong, and this is what cause Dib’s mistrust. In a way it was the reason he mistrusted a lot of people, he felt like most where not really trying to help him.

Dib stopped talk instead he lay down allowing everything to wash over him as he just admired the sky that had appeared from one of him memories. Space was amazing and it will always be one of the places he want to go but that not really a possibility, he felt like the world still needed him.

-This world might still need you but soon maybe staying might hurt it more?”

The controller said as Dib felt a heaviness take his mind, the controller didn’t sound like it was talking directly at him but instead as if it was mumbling to himself.

Walking up was not gentle as his mind came back to reality a mental wall of guilt and regret hit him and it really winded him. Sitting up quickly Dib too a look around to find anything to focus on, the room he was going to have to call his home from now on was full of quite a lot of old items that are attached to his emotions but non that he can see make him feel any better. Dread joined in with the other emotions and for once in his like his thoughts just stopped and he accidentally focused on a single idea. The realisation that he will most likely be alone forever. The panic stayed until he felt something grabbing his arm and pulling him back down to the bed.

“If your not getting up then lay back down your movement is keeping me active.”

Zim said as his smaller green arm pulled him down with a strength that Dib had completely forgotten Zim had. The alien wasn’t just beside him but he was laying there without clothes and only thing attached to him was Zim’s PAK. Embarrassment was the first thing to wash out the other worse emotion which cause Dib to heat up and flash red. Dib remembered that there relationship had evolved slightly passed friendship but just how far he couldn’t really say, it wasn’t something ether of them ever wanted to address but this was the first time Zim had been this exposed so close to him. They had share this bed countless times but Zim never got under the cover and always wore his under layer. Now was completely different with Dib even able to feel the little Irken’s green skin against his side. Embarrassment left after a little and for what felt like the first time in a very long time he felt content. Dib slipped his arm around Zim and instantly in response Zim had pulled himself in closer and Dib could make out the sound of soft crying.

“Why did you take so long?”

Zim said now sounding much more fragile then dib knew he was. Dib didn’t knew how to answer and wanted to explain the last few year hoping it would be enough to settle Zim down. This was exactly what Dib did he lay there and explained every single even in extreme detail from when he made his way onto the massive to save the planet in what he though was the only way, to the way he now had a second entity in in mind that was placed there by creature very closely resembling Irkens. Some Dib has mentioned before but now with a little mor etiquette to go throw all the events Zim was getting a better grasp on what had happened to Dib.

“You are no longer allowed to leave me alone. If you want to go some where, take me with you.”

Zim said as he now sat on Dib’s lap as they relaxed on the bed sitting against the wall. Sleep or whatever they would call in now wasn’t going to happen so they decided just relax as Dib talked.

“I wouldn’t thing about leaving again like that”

Dib said as he wrapped his arms around Zim to attempt to remove the pain he had left there. Dib still felt guilty but being back and opening up to Zim made the pain hurt less and he was now just glad he as back. Nothing would split the two up now, they had gone throw to much to ever want to part ways.

“What now then?”

Dib asked pulling apart from Zim and looking into the Irken’s magenta eyes. Both just stopped and stared for a second, it was something that needed to be though out. They needed a plan and needed to know what to do next.

“We are over one of the Swollen Eye Networks relay centre. Here we can get fought up on what the Network needs.”

Zim said begrudgingly rolling away from Dib and standing net to the bed. Dib was surprised at the mention of the swollen Eye Network who even he had stopped communication with after he started to hang out with Zim.

“Swollen Eye? You’ve been in contact with them. That’s kind of funny, an alien right in front of them and they don’t even notice.”

Dib said going from surprised and ending up laughing lightly at the idea of an alien wok snide the Swollen Eye Network. Zim was pleased at hearing Dib laugh like this since it was a sound he hadn’t hear for quite a long time.

“Sounds like I need to re-activate myself then.”

Dib said and he noticed the Zim became sheepish at him mentioning his agent self.

“Well. That’s not really necessary. I’ve been facing that we have been partners all this time.”

Zim explained trying to sound like it didn’t really matter but Dib was both shocked and slightly angry at Zim for that but he couldn’t find it in him to really feel annoyed at likely the one person he couldn’t live without.

“Why? That so… disrespectful. Especially if you thought I was dead.”

Dib said trying to sound angry but it came out sounding more winy then anything else.

“I didn’t mean to do that. When I first introduced my self as a mystery hunter her didn’t believe me and I didn’t knew how to make them trust me so I said I was working with you. I remembered your agent name and was able to face a message to them. It made some of them trust me but it turned out not meant agents liked you for some reason.”

Zim explained and Dib did understand why he had done what he did but it didn’t stop it feeling wrong.

“Well okay. I can’t really be to made at you but let’s try no more manipulating humans okay. If you get stuck you can always ask me for help.”

Dib said hoping that it would work out in the end. He knew that Zim did it for a reason it there was probably a better way then to used a supposedly dead person.

“I am sorry. I’ll make it up to you when I can. Let’s get to the ground so we can at least get some info from Network. We can also hand over the spell drive?”

Zim was explaining what they needed to go down and do though Dib started to panic lightly at the mention of the spell drive.

“We can’t give that to them. It to dangerous and we need to investigate the spell drives and who they work. It most likely going to be left up to us to get any other ghouls. The network aren’t know for having the best field agents.”

Dib almost shouted feeling much more worried about that would happen if the ghoul escaped. A hand on his shoulder made him jump then very quickly calm down. Zim had used his PAK legs to lift himself to Dib’s night and firmly held onto his holder while looking Dib right in the eyes with a soft expression one that Dib had only seen a handful of time, worry.

“It’s okay. The network had changed over the years. That to an increase of agents and a focus on training they can handle them selves better, they happen to have an expert on magic that’s why we came in person. I want you to talk to them and to figure out more about the spell drives.”

Zim confessed as he lowered him self once more to be standing on his own two legs. That did calm Dib down once more and he was quickly able to catch his breath which he hadn’t noticed had increased almost as if he was hyperventilating.

“Okay but we keep the drive when we leave. The network has really changed over the year, I am surprised I tried to open there eyes up for so long and was always shot down.”

Dib sighed as they now made there way to the elevator. The ship did have a small hanger where the Voot runner was now kept.

“That’s fine. Just be nice, this person can be hard to deal with.”

Zim huffed as he hit a button in the elevator and they started making there way down to the hanger. Did hadn’t even realised that they where not properly dressed until so small metal tendrils came down from the ceiling and tried to remove his clothes.

“Just accept he help. With that PAK on your back now it will be hard to get changed normally.”

Zim said as he raised his arms and allowed the computer to dress him, Dib did the same. The computer was fast and the clothes they wore where made to be fitted under a PAK which surprised Dib since they where perfectly fitted to his body. The under part of his outfit was the same as Zim’s with a light purple and pink but over the top was completely different. A jacket very similar to the one he used to where along with black boots and gloves. The computer even altered his hair so it held like it used to with the top falling back into a longer then normal cowlick.

“Well I see you’ve put some thought into this.”

Dib said looking over at Zim who was dressed like is old self except he had a hoody over which looked very familiar as if he had once own something very similar.

“As if he could pick out an arrangement like this, I looked at all your old photos and a few from the last few days and though this would be a good look.”

The computer scoffed at the though of Zim having any fashion sense.

“Thanks computer. What got into the computer?”

Dib first thanked the computer before looking at Zim for some kind of answer.

“With my plans to take over the world ended it needed something to do since I wasn’t using it for anything. It stared to watch TV, it been acting weird ever since.”

Zim explained waving his arm around as if that would help explain what happened to the computer.

“So that’s what happened. It actually makes sense now.”

Dib giggled realising that the computer was actually starting to act more human. The TV was a good place to pick up on trends and information but only if you know what to watch.

“It gone mad but it’s more fun like this.”

Zim said smirking an a slightly evil was which made Dib skip a breath it was a look he hadn’t seen in so long and Dib didn’t realise until now that he had missed it.

The elevator stopped and the both of them walked out to find the Voot runner there waiting for them. There were two runners and Zim and Di knew that one was Dib’s old runner that used to belong to Tak. Zim made his way to the closest on, the one that looked like it got used the most. The ship opened and Zim jumped in, Dib watched and wondered if there would be enough space, they even struggled to fit when they were kids.

“Jump on in we don’t have all day.”

Zim called as he flicked and clicked on the ships control.

“We will never both fit in there.”

Dib said as he was now right in front of the runner looking at the available space.

“We will make it work.”

Zim said as he grabbed hold of Dib’s collar and pulled him into the ship ]sitting him down on the chair before turning back around to clack a button and close the window. This once again reminded Dib just how strong the small Irken was. Dib was sitting in the pilot seat with the Irken right in between is legs using the controls in front of them. The hanger opened and the runner left the bay on it way down to earth which was n full view in front of them.

Dib had seen the earth from space multiple times but each time it took his breath away seeing the planet there floating in space. The whole thing looked as beautiful from the outside, and it was this that made him understand why there where creature out there that wanted it, even if what they wanted wasn’t really the beautiful view. The trip in the runner wasn’t exactly comfortable with Zim sitting right on his lap as he tried to fly down to the earth.

Flying throw the atmosphere was as enjoyable as every as the ship started to shake slightly as the friction from flying down quickly cause the outside of the ship to head up. This part was the hardest especially if your not the one flying the ship. Dib had to grab hold of Zim a little tighter to stop the small Irken from slipping onto the floor.

“Almost there. We are going to that set of building just outside the large forest.”

Zim said as he slowed the ship down and flushed a switch that made the ship become cooler, even the inside became more manageable with a cold breeze hitting them from one of the panels on the wall. The location they where headed towards wasn’t to big but the building lol lined up against the forest and the road coming in was mainly dirt until it got to the building and it became tarmac.

“As desperate as ever I see.”

Dib said sarcastically looking at the building that where extremely suspicious looking.

“What do you mean? These building couldn’t stand out any more.”

Zim said confused and he quickly clicked buttons that seemed to help the runner land down close the the road leading to the buildings.

“Nice to see you still have not grasped sarcasm.”

Dib said chuckling slightly at remembering some of the times he fought with Zim and as they throw insults at each other Zim got confused at his sarcasm.

“Zim has understood sarcasm. Dib-friend uses it to much some times.”

Zim exclaimed loudly in a huff annoyed slightly at Dib’s comment. The runner open and Zim pulled himself out of the ship, Dib just waited for the alien to be safely on the ground before also making his way out of the runner. The two stood there as the inside of the runner vanished as the window came back down. The ship was not visible apart from a faint glimmer, the ship had an inbuilt camouflaging layer on the outside of the ship that Zim had activated before entering the atmosphere.

“Okay, maybe I do. Let’s just get going we have things to do.”

Dib said as he looked at the more then a little suspicious buildings.

“Okay Dib let go.”

Zim huffed leading Dib towards the building closest to them, Zim knew a lot about the building around here he had been one of the agents to help set up this site. That I why it had hurt somewhere hearing Dib insult it in his way of talking. The place had been well disguised thought Zim since the building did look human but then again maybe they had build the building in a little to obvious place. Zim just sulked slightly as he lead his human to the technology and reassuring building where the higher ups would started start the meeting.

Zim had done a lot for the humans all thanks to the last message he had gotten from Dib before he vanished.

“Earth is yours to protect.”

Zim mumbled not loud enough for Dib to hear. The word Dib had said to him all the years ago had stuck with him and he had done so much because of them. He had helped the humans in more ways then they could ever know or believe. From sharing technology to hunting monsters he had done what he imagined Dib would have wanted, but now being here with Dib maybe it wasn’t exactly what Dib would have wanted. The thought that he might disappoint Dib hurt more then Zim could ever have thought.

“This place is not to bad from down here.”

Dib said looking around and watching the few people walking around, they where wear some sort of military get up but as Dib and Zim passed them the people just waver at Zim. Zim had turned on his hologram disguise once more and look as human as he could.

“With the increase in activity it was needed. This base might not be all that only but the research being done here is almost up to par with Irken standards.”

Zim explained as he more or less ignored everyone around him except Dib. The building they where heading to was just by them now and Zim didn’t even need to grab any identification for the doors to open for him.

“Though I am surprised that the network gave up on there anonymity.”

Dib said surprised at the openness of the swollen eye network.

“They did not. This place is just a single part of the new network so only a few people know of this place and the people who work here have lots of restrictions to keep info about the people here from leaking out.”

Zim explained as the two of them got to an elevator. The inside had a few rows of buttons on the panel, the one Zim pressed was he close to the bottom label with ‘BL4’. The elevator started up as they made there way down to the lower floor.

“What the person we’re going to like?”

Dib asked feeling oddly nervous at meeting a new person which was surprising hw wasn’t normally one to get nervous as something so silly. Zim shifted slightly closer which once again calmed dib down.

“There new to the network but you might feel like he seam familiar.”

Zim said and Dib could sense that Zim was hiding something and that didn’t make this feel any easier.

Dib wanted to retort with something but the door opened to quickly and they walked out into the room to that look empty only a few lights were on at the back of the lab. Zim switched the lights on and they head a crashing sound followed by a grown.

“Give me a second to get myself arranged. Dumb stool.”

The voice rung out from the opposite side of the lab and Dib did sense as if he knew that voice from somewhere but couldn’t put his finger on it.

Movement from behind a counter was able to catch there attention. Who ever it is fairly small most likely not much larger then Zim. The person came around and all Dib could think of was if the person in front of him was a dwarf, unlike Zim who might be small but had fairly normal proportion this other person was quite a lot wider.

“I am here. I was told you would be here…”

The person said looking up but catching his breath when he saw Dib, the pets said face when white as if he was seeing a ghost.

“What? Zim what did you do. Clone? Robot?”

The person asked and Dib felt hurt but Zim had softly grabbed onto him calming Dib down lots.

“The great Zim did no such thing. It didn’t work out the last time remember. This is actually Dib he is still alive, Skoodge.”

Zim almost screamed as if everyone was hearing impaired. He only mumbled about the fact something didn’t work last time.

“Skoodge?”

Dib mumbled trying to place the name and it didn’t take long when he remembered a small rekey that adored Zim back when Zim and Dib where fighting the Irken empire. The Irken had changed less the Zim who was now larger then then the other Irken.

“Dib as in… Dib?”

Skoodge stuttered as he stayed where he was frozen as if it wasn’t actually the Irken but a statue.

“It is indeed he. The Dib is back and improved! Look at Zim’s amazing work.”

Zim said smuggle as he pulled Dib forward and revealing the pack which had been despised as a bag until Zim had removed the fake bag.

“Zim, stop. Skoodge I thought you had died, I saw you getting your zoot runner getting blown up.”

Dib exclaimed sounding confused at how the small alien was here.

“Oh, that. Well I didn’t die, got saved by the rebellion. We where on our way to the massive but you got to it first. You did one amazing job of destroying the massive all that was left where a few bits of shielded debris everything else was vaporised.’

Skoodge said talking about what he had been throw after the fight around a few planets the Irkens where trying to conquer. Back then the fight had been fierce and Zim and Dib where able to get an army together thanks to the resisty. It was the event that got the massive to actually change there force to earth for revenge on Dib’s first attack, they had wiped out a lot of the empires control and even taken down so meany ships but it had cause the massive to make its way to earth with an army much larger then before.

“I didn’t do that. After I destroyed the massive I was found by Irken like being I’ve come to call Proto-Irken. They vaporised the ships remains but I was able to save some of it with a few shields. The ships wreckage is no longer there though.”

Dib explained looking at the disguised Irken. Skoodge’s disguise was not like Zim’s new hologram the small Irken was just weirding a wig and on closer inspection a fare bit of makeup. The look was only a little step above Zim’s old disguise.

“Dib can talk about his time away later. Right now we have work to do.”

Zim said as he took out the spell-drive from his PAK. Skoodge looked at the thing with curiosity in his eyes, which was surprising to be able to see through his disguise.

“Out at the office we ran into a ghoul. This one was more then a little sentient. They have been showing up more often but this one was different, it was smarter then the scraps we’ve been taking care of and by the thing it said there are likely more out there planning something bad.”

Zim explained placing the spell-drive down on the table.

“This thing was able to capture the spirit after the main body was weakened. Not to sure how the device works but it’s most likely is a mash up of tech and magic. Give it a look.”

Zim said tapping the drive one last time before move it back over to Dib.

“While I do that what will you do Zim?”

Skoodge asked honestly curious why Zim wasn’t taking this on himself since he wasn’t one to let other people touch his projects.

Zim look aver at the smaller Irken and let out a small sigh knowing we can’t not tell the other Irken what he was about to do.

“This is more complicated then we anticipated. With Dib and I working on out on the field and also us looking into some new Irken species we will not have time to take apart and understand what these ghouls are. First we are going to go to the closest Irken research station that not destroy to see if we can find anything on these Proto-Irken, then we are going to hunt down the ghouls. We can’t let them have there way.”


End file.
